Alexander's Mind
by psy999merda
Summary: Jennifer Jareau met William LaMontagne Jr. whilst in her junior year at high school. They ended up having a one-night stand, and 9 months later, Jennifer gave birth to a boy. She named him Alexander. 16 years later, drama, romance and family issues are in the air, and secrets from the past comes back to haunt both Jareaus
1. Chapter 1

_Jennifer Jareau met William LaMontagne Jr. whilst in her junior year at high school, and they had a one-night stand after a heavily drinking evening. The next morning she woke up without him. She didn't tell him or called him when she found out that she was pregnant, not knowing his full name or have his number. He was a senior and she was a freshman. 9 months later, Jareau gave birth to her son and named him Alexander Jareau. Alexander grew up with his grandparents while Jennifer went back to her college studies, and then later to the FBI academy in Quantico, VA. Now, 16 years later, Alexander and Jennifer live together in a small house, having a cat. Since Jennifer joinder the BAU, she moved with her son to Virginia, Jennifer's working full time at the BAU and Alexander living his life too._

"Alexander, are you up yet?" Jennifer yells while balancing a bowl, a spoon, a cereal box and the milk to the counter.

"Yeah, I'm up. No need to yell," Alex grumbles as he enters the kitchen, occupying one of two bar stools that are at the counter.

"Sorry, honey. I'm in a hurry. We've got a case, it's in New Orleans."

"Cool, buy me a stamp, will you?"

It's kind of a tradition that whenever his mom's out of town, she buys him some postal stamps to him in which he collects.

"Always, honey. Now, uh… I didn't get much time to buy food, so there's money on the card here." She hands him a card which he puts in his wallet, and she continues: "also you know where the gun is, how to use and when. I've talked to Pen. She will be excepting you …"

"After I'm done for today," Alexander finishes for her. "The gun's in the drawer upstairs, and the second one's in the living room. Also this room consists of some very sharp knifes if I ever where to need it. There's extra money in case of an emergency in the safe, behind my bookshelf in my room. I have to change the pin code to the security system when I get home, also have to double check every door and window before leaving and going to bed. We've done this before, mom."

Jennifer smiles, nodding her head. "Yeah, we have. Oh, sometimes I forget how many times I've left you. But I know you're almost an adult. Besides, you're very mature for your age." It sounds like she's convincing herself that she's not a bad mother, something's she's not. Alexander sighs and drops his spoon. He walks around and hugs his mom, trying to assure her.

"Don't be upset, mom. I can take care of myself. I'll be okay and you have to catch some bad guys so I will stay okay."

Jennifer hugs her son back. She feels both sad and happy at the same time.

"I'll text you when we've landed."

"I know. Stay safe."

Then she's out of the door, taking her dark blue Volvo to the BAU's headquarter while Alex stays to finish his breakfast. Around seven fifteen, he runs downstairs and throws on some clothes, brushes his teeth and styles his hair before taking a look at himself in the mirror. To be honest: he looks like an average 16 year old boy. Not too tall for his age, not overweight or underweight. He was early out with the whole puberty thingy. At the age of thirteen, he's voice started to change and he went four whole days as a mute person because he's lost his voice. Then, when it came back, it gradually changed: it became deeper and he sounded way older than he looked. He has clear green eyes, genetically from his father, according to his mom: he has never met his father though. Alex has light caramel colored hair with a hint of curly ends, especially if he lets his hair grow. Some freshmen girls told him he was cute and that he looked handsome when he styled his hair. Since that day he started styling his hair every day, though he never managed to work up the nerve to ask one of them out, and soon they moved their attention to another boy in the junior class. Alex dresses casually; a pair of black or denim blue jeans and a T-shirt, sometimes only a shirt or a shirt over, and he styles his hair every morning. His morning routine is to shower, put on some clothes, head upstairs for breakfast, then head down to brush his teeth before leaving the house. Since he became 16 in March 9th, he's had his driving license, and he now takes his car to school. The car was a gift from his mom and all of her colleagues and friends; their extended family.

At school, Alex joins his two best friends: Matthew Kowalski and Omar Louis Hunt. Omar's an Afro-American tall boy from the more wealthy side of the city, and he has a little sister named Lee-Ann. She's in her last year of middle school. He and his family moved to the city when the boy was in their first year of high school and Omar joined the school's cross-country team. He's the only black and openly gay kid on the whole team, in the whole class actually, but because his fast, too fast for any bullies, and friendly, no one never cared much to bother him. Matt has been Alex's best friend since they met on Alex's first day at middle school. They have the same interest too: cars, lacrosse and videogames.

"What's up, man?" both Matt and Omar greet Alex as he steps out of his car, grinning. They've been waiting for him, knowing he'd be right on time; ten minutes before school's first bell goes.

"Not much. And you?" Alex bumps his fist with both of the boys, it has sort off been their thing since they all became friends.

"You're in for the big game tonight?" Omar asks his friends as they walk to the main doors. Though Alex might be tall, Omar's taller, which makes him an excellent runner. He beat the schools high score on running a mile within only four minutes and thirteen seconds.

"Oh, man, I forgot!" Matt exclaims.

"How can you forget a game night?" Alex wants to know, laughing as he sees his friend making a face and sighs in expiration.

"Well… I was with Allison all night yesterday. And…you know, I sort off forgot."

Both Omar and Alex groan and exchange a look. They don't want to hear any more details about why Matt forgot about the game tonight. After all, he spent his evening and probably whole night too, with his girlfriend.

Speaking of; Allison meets them at their lockers and kisses Matt and waving to Omar and Alex. Omar rolls his eyes. He just wants to escape from all this romance. Alex knows his friend's struggling with being the only open gay kid and he has no one to kiss. Omar's quite a romantic guy. He'd love nothing more to have a boyfriend, one who is not afraid of showing their feelings out in public.

"Okay, guys, now we're number eight in the State." Coach Damon stands in front of his lacrosse team. He has a fleet hanging around his neck, a notepad and a pen is stuck under his armpit, and he's dressed in shorts and a black Nike sweat T-shirt. On his bald head, he has a cap with the lacrosse team's name.

"We'll have tryouts for five spots today, now as the seniors took off last spring," he continues, "and I want all of you out there too. You will have to prove to me that I won't need to apply for more players. Now, get out and warm up while I gather the newbies."

The boys leave the locker room, fully dressed and with their stick in their hands, jogging out on the field. It's a quarter past three and most of the students have either left or gone to their after school activities. Alex spots some people sitting on the tribune. It looks like most of them are girls, but they're not cheerleaders.

"Allison, what's up? I thought you had volleyball practice?" Alex hears Matt call out to his girlfriend. She's one of the many girls out there.

He jogs to her to talk with her. Alex jogs alone for a couple of minutes, seeing Omar and his teammates from the cross country team running on the outer edge of the Lacrosse field. He waves to him and Omar smiles and waves back. Coach Damon calls everyone together and then they start the tryout.

Four new guys on the Lacrosse team, but they still miss a fifth. The four that were chosen were freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

"Dude, you're home alone tonight?"

"Yeah, why. Want to come over?" Alex asks Omar. He nods. Alex waves him in his car and they take off together.

"Where's your mom this time?"

"In New Orleans," Alex replies with a shrug. He blinks to the left. "Where's yours?"

It's widely known that Omar's parents are always out of town, doing some business, eating lunch with some important people. Somehow though, they always manage to come back just in time to see their son racing. The same can't be said with Alex's mom. But after so many years, he's gotten over it, he has accepted it and then he's embraced the fact that there are more important things than a Lacrosse game. Though, he would certainly not complain if his mother did come back and took a seat on the tribunes.

"They're in L.A. again, dealing with some people from New Mexico. I've heard they're trying to fix the water problem in the Southern states."

Jennifer runs through the many texts gotten since she woke up the next day. Only one's from Alex. It's an iMessage. She taps on the text. A picture of Alex, wearing his lacrosse gear, holding his stick in his left hand with a broad smile, covers the screen.

 _Won the game, 23-13_

 _How are things going on in New Orleans? Plz, remember the stamps! I don't have any of those in my collection._

 _Stay safe,_

 _A_

Jennifer smiles. She feels proud when she sees the text. Of course they won; they have Alexander on their team. He's one of the best players on the team, according to both her and Coach Damon. Coach Damon thinks when the time's right, some college scouts will be out there, looking for him, wanting him on their school. He'll have no problem getting into a college though, having an average score of B+ last year.

 _Congrats! I'm so happy for you! Love the picture. How's the guys and Pen? We still haven't got anything further that can help us. I can't say more, you know that, but I'll tell you when I'm back._

 _You've been cooking dinner? Do you need anything?_

 _I'll try to remember, honey._

 _Stay safe U 2_

 _Mom_

"JJ! There are literally hundreds of reports banging on our doorstep. What are you doing in here?"

Agent Spencer Reid looks flustered and tired. They're all tired. This night, Jennifer only got a few hours of sleep before her phone went crazy again.

"Oh, damn. I'll go talk with Hotch. What more do we have? And please, say we've got something good."

"We do. The Unsub clearly is a black male in his early 40's or mid 40's, and he got the skills and knowledge as a butcher or a paramedic, but not a doctor. Probably not a nurse neither. We know more about his M.O now than yesterday. Also he's left-handed – he probably likes to draw some heroic attention to himself. Our guess is that he got fired or something for a mistake, but he sees it like he did something heroic and didn't get any credit for it."

"Thanks, Spence!"

She jogs to the office were she knows Agent Hotch, Rossi, Prentiss and Morgan are standing with paper files spread out on the table. They're discussing about the Unsub's earlier life when she interrupts them.

"I've got the reporters on my tail. Can I tell them the latest news?"

"Yes, and warn the people about leaving the house alone and in the dark," Agent Hotch says, sounding and looking as serious as always. "It seems like the Unsub likes to operate in the cover of darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

After speaking with the glittering ocean of reporters and telling them to come back for the six o'clock news, Jennifer walks back inside and to an empty hallway. She calls Alexander who answers on the fourth ring.

"Hey, mom, you okay?"

That's his usual greeting. She smiles for herself when hearing his voice. It always makes her forget for a little bit what she's doing, what she sees and hears on her job. His presence, or just his voice, is soothing.

"Hi. Yeah, honey, I'm fine. And you? Are you with Pen now?"

"Ditto, mom. I saw your message, but I was in class so I couldn't answer, so I can do it now. Matt's fine, uh… he was really good out on the field yesterday, by the way. We had a great team play. Omar's on the varsity team now. He's having his first race last Friday in September. And, well, I guess you've spoken with Penelope more than I have, but she's okay I guess. She made me go and fetch some new, sparkling stress balls."

Jennifer chuckles. It's so typical Penelope.

"Okay, that's sounds good. Have you eaten?"

"Mom, stop worrying. I'm not ten anymore, I can actually cook. Though Rossi's cooking is ten times better. And yeah, I've been cooking for Penelope too. Made some chicken and rice with salad, and guess who said no thanks to the rice?"

Again Jennifer laughs, and Alexander does too.

"I'll tell Rossi you said so," she promises him. They chat for a minute more before Jennifer has to go back to her job. "Love you, honey. Call me if you need anything."

"Yeah, you too. Stay safe."

She says bye, and they hang up. Defeated, Jennifer goes back to her desk the local police gave to her. She hates that she has to leave Alexander on his own; even though she knows he's all grown up and can take care of himself. Also, Pen is back there in Quantico. Pen always looks out for her son. It was easier before, when Alexander lived with her parents, or when they moved, but not too far away and she could work on her master degree and everything from home, or, if she had to leave, her parents would drop by to help out with Alexander.

But now…they're back in Georgia and she's in Virginia, trying to make the country a better and safer place.

We're done. I've got stamps too! I'm home around nine, and then I have to debrief a little with Hotch about next week. I know your game's up, I want to try to be home so I can see it.

Love you!

Mom

Alex read the message twice. He grins like an idiot and hastily replies while walking to the basement with a plate of food on his hand.

10-4

How you're doing? Say hi to Derek and Spence from me. Well… It's not due until Thursday, you're doomed to have a case by then, but we can always hope for the best

Stay safe

\- A

I'll try to talk to him, honey. I guess he will understand, he has a kid of his own, you know. Can you make some dinner and leave it be for me? I'm famished already, and we're about to board the jet.

Mom

Sure. I'll make some lasagna.

Alex places his phone on the empty seat next to him and starts eating while starting his PS4. He's ready to play some Fifa 16 against Matt. He calls Matt on Skype, using his PC that stands on the small saloon table where he has his feet.

"You're ready to get beat?"

"Dream on, bro," Alex hears Matt says and he chuckles slightly.

"You know," Alex says after their second match where he won, "I'm pretty sure I'm awake. Are you?"

Seconds later, their third match is on and Alex has managed to score yet another goal. He hears Matt growls and swears, though he knows Matt's not angry.

"Sorry, bud, but I told you. You should never play with Manchester City, because they're just too bad for Liverpool."

"Oh, you know what, Jareau, if we play international, England won't stand a chance against Germany."

"You want to bet?" Alex grins.

"I do! I do want to bet. A dollar for each goal I win with."

"Deal."

Now it's dead serious. None of them say a word for the next fifteen minutes, they can hear the each other, hammering on their consoles and breathing heavily. In the game's pause, Matt mocks his friend:

"What did I say? I've three goals and you've got only one. As you see, England's not that good."

"The game's just halfway over," Alex reminds him on. He's stressed – Alex never backed out of a challenge like this before, and he's always won it.

"But I'm leading with two goals, homie, for crying it out loud. Now, you want me to go easy on you?"

The pause is over and the second the whistle blows, Alex clicks and steers his men of pixels hastily and with a good technique through the defense. He hits the circle button and scores.

"No, I think I'll do just fine," he tells Matt and laughs.

"Wait and see, Jareau, just wait and see."


	3. Chapter 3

The match ends 6-4 to Alex. It was a last minute goal. Matt became shocked and irritated, but he then promised Alex to pay him when they meet each other at school on Monday.

"Man, I've got tons of homework due after the weekend. I haven't started writing the essay on Shakespeare. Have you?"

"Yeah, I'm done with it. The only thing I need to do before Monday, is to write that chemistry report, but Walter's sick so I haven't done anything. Why?"

"You want to send it over to me?"

"No. I won't. It's not that good, and besides, Ms. Lawrence will know you haven't written it. She can see it: how we write."

"I can just change some words," Matt interrupts.

"You can't," Alex says, "I'm sorry, bro, but this essay I used every evening on, I won't let you have that easily. But I can give you my check points answers, that'll get you started. You'll get a clearer picture of what to write about."

"Fair enough. Thanks man, I owe you."

"No problem. And, yeah, you do, again."

Matt hangs up and Alex takes the PC, finds the right Word document and sends it to his friend before checking his e-mails and then Facebook. He's gotten a friend request by a girl named Mabel Hastings. Alex remembers her. She's one of the four transferees from that private school that got shut down over the summer. Alex doesn't know much about her, he has just seen her in lunch, AP English and AP Math, and he's never talked to her. But he accepts the request, sending her a 'Hey, I'm Alexander Jareau' at the same time. While waiting to see if she answers, he takes the empty plate upstairs and flushes it with water before dunking two glass of water. It's so hot in Virginia in the summertime. When he gets back, he sees that he got two new messages.

'I know. I'm Mabel Hastings.'

The second one's from Omar.

'Sup bro?'

Alex lifts the PC to his desk and sits down. He picks with him his phone and texts Penelope back. She's wondering if he's going to come to the headquarters or if he'll stay at home and waits for his mom to come back.

I'll be at home, hacking someone's computer. Hopefully I too get a job within the FBI. Sounds familiar?

\- Alex

Alex then replies to Omar. 'Been playing F 16 with Matt. Now I'm just chatting. And you?'

His next replay is for Mabel.

'How you like Louise High?'

Her answer comes almost immediately.

'It's nice. People are okay, the teacher's fine and the food's actually better than what we paid for at our school. You're on the L-team?'

'Indeed I am. You like lacrosse? Glad to hear you like it here. You've gotten to know anyone yet?'

'Nope. I've just stuck with my old classmates that came here with me. I've never held on of those sticks, but it seems very funny to throw the ball as hard as you can such a small goal. It seems hard too, though, and there are so many of you on the field. What's your position?'

Alex smiles and starts writing. He starts writing an article almost about the sport, before deleting everything and starting over. She's probably not that interested in Lacrosse, she's just being nice, he thinks.

'Yeah, we're many players, but not as many as it is in football. There are 10 players, 3attackmen, 3 midfielders, 3 defensemen and of course the goalie. I'm one of three attackmen, due to my height I'm perfect because I can outrun the others and also it's easy for me to get the ball. My best friend, Matt, is also an attackman. You should come to one of our games. The next one's up on Thursday.'

Her reply is short, but funny.

'I'd love to. Can I bring my dog?'

'You serious?'

'No, I am not. He can be home alone all night, that's okay. When's the game?'

'6 o'clock, but the pre-game is five-thirty.'

'Cool. Thx. I have to go soon, need to walk Rex.'

'Rex?'

'My dog, dumbass '

Alex blinks at the screen. He re-reads the last sentence and then he laughs. Girl's got some guts. They haven't met each other and never spoken to each other before right now, and she's calling him names. Offensive names too. He knows she's joking though.

'You're the dumbass. But it's fine. I need to make some dinner for my mom and then I'll pick her up at the airport.'

'She's been gone?'

'Yeah, New Orleans.'

'Wow. Is she one of those hardworking, honest and intelligent lawyers or senators or business women?'

Alex scoffs. If only …

'Hardworking, honest, intelligent, kind, funny and weird indeed, but no, she's working for the FBI.'

'Are you serious? So does my uncle! In what department does your mom work in?'

'Really? Cool! Yes. I'm serious, she's in the BAU, how about your uncle?'

'Oh, cool. He's on one of their many technical analysis units. Can't remember the exact name, it's so long. But, sorry, Rex being impatient here. I've got to, see you at school after the weekend?'

'10-4. I guess so. You want some company at lunch?'

'Please, that'd be nice. Bye.'

She's offline. Alex leans back in his chair. He hasn't bothered to look at Omar's message feed and sees that he has now six new messages. Geez, that boy can be impatient at times.

Later that Friday evening, the house is empty and only some lights are on. Alex has driven to the FBI State airport to pick up his mom who's now walking down the staircase from the team's private jet.

"Mom, here's your dinner, but you're not allowed to eat in my car. How was the case and flight?"

Jennifer hugs her son. She's missed him. He has missed her too.

"I'm glad to see you too, mom. And now you're blocking my airways." He actually gasps for some air as she quickly releases him. She smiles and blushes slightly. "I take that as an 'Oh, boy, am I glad to see your delicious cooking.' So here it is." He hands her the food. It's been wrapped in silver foil to avoid the cooling down.

"It looks very good. Thank you, you're an angel. And yes, I've missed you. The case went okay, as you can see I'm here. And good news, Hotch said I can take a couple of days off. I will be needed at HQ, but I'm only on office-duty. There will be coming two new agents to our department. One of them is from Interpol, I guess she'll find her way around without my help. The other one, though, is a trainee."

"A trainee? And she's going out in the field?"

"Not right away, but eventually, yes. That's why she's coming to us. She's specializing in behavior analysis and she needs three months of field days on her résumé."

"Wow. Poor girl, has to be stuck in a plane with you."

His mom stops eating and shoves him playfully. They're walking through the FBI's State terminal. Alex has to wear a badge around his neck where it stands his name and birthdate and where his going. The badge has the FBI icon on it, it's his and he has to get a new one every year.

"Junior Jareau!"

Agent Derek Morgan runs after Alex. They do their hand shake thingy and he grins to Alex.

"How was the flight?"

"Oh, you know, it all went okay. You're here to pick us up?"

"I can bring you home too if that what's your asking?"

"Sweet. Thanks, man. I'll see you outside."

"Now, you tell me very thing that happened while I was gone. I want to hear everything about your first week back in school. And I'm glad you made the team this time too. I knew you could do it." Jennifer squeezes her son's arm.

"I'll you, but first, you have to get your stuff speak with Penelope and check me out before I can go and get the car."

"Okay, boss. I'll see you soon."

Jennifer leaves and heads up to the BAU headquarter, it's on the sixth floor in the building. Alex heads to the security in order to leave the airport. He has to wait for his mom to come back to leave the pre-building where it's maximum security. The Government can't afford terrorist attack or some kind of a shooting massacre at their own policemen.

An hour later, Alex has dropped off Derek where he lives, and he has parked the car, and his mom and he are both inside. Alex's watching his mom eat her dinner while he's talking about his first week as a junior and their first Lacrosse game. His mom frequently asks some questions and he answers them truthfully, knowing she'll know if he lies. After all, he's not a good liar and his mom's a FBI profiler.

"Mom, I was thinking about the next game. Could you keep a friend of mine with company if she needs it? She's a transfer from that private school that got shut down, you know. And I don't think she has any friends yet, and those who came with her aren't going to the game."

His mom beams

"Of course! What's her name?"

"Mabel…something. I don't remember… Oh, wait, it's Hastings."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

Jennifer laughs when Alex sighs in annoyance.

"No," he says slowly, putting pressure on the word. "I've never met her actually. We've just been chatting on Facebook. But I've seen her twice or so."

"So she's your future girlfriend then?" His mom wiggles her eyebrows and Alex murmurs something. "Wait! What, you've never seen her and you've invited her to the game?" Jennifer's surprised and proud. Only her Alexander could do something so extraordinary and kind hearted.

"Well… It seemed like she'd like to go, but she just wouldn't because she doesn't know anyone yet. So, I thought, you know, why not having you there. I am sure she won't mind… She's not like many other girls at school."

Later that evening, when Jennifer's in bed, sleeping heavily, Alex turns on his laptop and opens Facebook. Apparently she was 2 hours ago.

'Hi, you're awake? If not, ignore this and keep on sleeping.'

Mabel answers fifty seconds later.

'I'm awake. Going to sleep soon, though. What is going on?'

Alex smiles ever so slightly. His fingers fly over the keyboard as he writes his message.

'My mom's hopefully going to go to the game on Thursday. Would you like some company while watching, or are you going to meet up with your friends?'

For a minute, Alex waits anxiously for Mabel to answer.

'I'd love to, yes, thank you! You're sure it's okay with your mom? Isn't she going to hang out with the other parents?'

'Nah, she'll love to avoid those. She's not a very parent-people-lover, even though she's in the FBI and meets many parents. But no, I'm serious, it's fine, I know she'll be glad to have some younger company. Just don't let her show you the pictures from our summer vacation. Those selfies of mine are horrible.'

'Ha-ha, okay, now I know what to look at in the break. But, hey, thank you. And thank you for wanting to get to know me, or like…you know, speaking with me and inviting me to the game. No one's ever done that to be, been so open minded and kind. I really appreciate it.'

A weird sensation creeps inside of Alex and he shudders. He re-reads the last message. It sad that Mabel never has experienced this kind of friendship, or maybe the more accurate word is, open minded, as she stated it. How can someone expect that a newcomer should blend in or at least get some friends when themselves won't say hi. It's the ones who are new that are most afraid of going to an unknown person or group – not you who knows everyone by name.

'It's a pleasure, really. Also I believe that everyone should start being a little more open minded as you say it. The kind part, I am not so sure of. I'm just being me… And I don't know if I'd use that word to describe me. Often I find myself as a very ignorant person.'

'I fail to see how, but okay. I will not argue with you, I'm just saying. Now, I have to go to bed, it's almost eleven. I've got to work tomorrow,'

'You have a job? What is it?'

'It's kind of a charity job, but it pays now and then, mostly with food and some supplies. I work with mentally ill patients…mostly teenagers or younger kids, at the hospital. If you want, you can come with me? I'll be your supervisor.'

A mental hospital? Wow.

Alex has seen many mentally ill people in his life. There are those who are depressed, suicidal, those who have an eating disorder, those who has PTSD or are bi-polar. He has seen them, talked with some, but never have he hung out with them just because. He hesitates before writing back.

'How ill are those you're going to see tomorrow? I've seen a lot of ill persons, with all kinds of diagnoses, but I've never been their nurse. I don't know the first thing about handling them.'

'Don't worry. They're not so ill that they're mad enough to go after us. Those we are allowed to see, come to us because they somehow want to. It's nothing scary, and they're very nice people.'

'I don't doubt they're nice. Where is it, when do you leave for work?'

'It's the sixth floor at Wilson's Hospital. Where do you live? I could pick you up around nine?'

'My aunt works at Wilson's. I can ask her to drop in and drive me. I'll be waiting on the sixth floor at nine o'clock.'

'Cool! See you there. Good night.'


	4. Chapter 4

Nine o'clock sharp, Alex was standing right outside of the elevator, waiting for Mabel to show up. Weirdly enough, this would be the first time they'll see each other for real and talk. He scoffs when he remembers the conversations he had with his mom and aunt earlier this day.

"Why are you going to the mental ward?" his mom had asked him when he'd asked for permission to go. He knew he could, but anyway. It's nice to ask.

"Because I think it's a nice thing to do. Besides, she invited me. And I said yes because I invited her to my game and she said yes to go. She'd like to sit with you, by the way."

Jennifer sighs and looks at his son with passion. He's so humble and so kind at the same time that it's hard to believe he's just one person. She's proud of him.

"Yeah, okay, of course can you go with her. Do you know when you'll be back, or should I just wait for a call?"

"I don't know," he shrugs, "but I'll text you, or, yes, I can call you too. Are you heading to the HQ?"

"Yes, I was thinking of getting some paperwork done, and if you're gone too today, I won't feel bad for leaving." She shoves him playfully in his ribs when he groans. It's an old conversation that always comes back. He has told his mom at least twenty times that he's fine with her going to work and leaving in order to catch some criminals. He's said that she shouldn't be too hard om herself and that she should not feel at least guilty, even though they both know that sometimes Alex wishes to have his mom around.

"Okay, I'm going to call Aunt Olive now. By the way, the new security code is Kloven_24Drawer."

Jennifer snorts in her coffee.

"What kind of a name is that?"

"A screen name," Alex defends himself. "I saw it when I was playing FIFA the other day. It's slightly different: there were numbers at the end, but I cut them out. The code's long enough as it is. Are you going to change it?"

"Yeah, I will. Call me if you're home before me. Okay?"

"Sure…"

He had called his aunt, praying that she would be on her way for the eight to four shifts, hoping that he hadn't woken her up if she now had the night shifts.

"Al, how's life?"

"Hi, Aunt Olive, how you're doing?"

"Oh, you're ever so polite. But, yeah, thanks. Oh, you know, I'm good as always. Still kicking ass and helping people out. And you?"

"Same. Are you heading for work today?"

"I am, very soon actually? Why?"

"Could I ride with you today to your job?"

"Yes, sure you can. Is someone you know sick?"

"No, it's nothing like that," he says quickly as he goes downstairs to find his wallet and keys. "I'm heading there to… Yeah, I don't know acutely what I'll be doing, but I'm going there with one from my class. It's like…we're visiting those mentally ill people to cheer them up, I supposes."

"Oh! Yeah, you're going to the A Friendly Hand program?"

"Ah… I guess? I don't really know much, Auntie."

"I see, but I believe it's that. But yes, I'll pick you up in half an hour, okay? Be ready, I can't afford to be late. And in this traffic now on Saturdays, it's awful."

"Okay, thank you very much. I'm ready now so I'll be waiting. Bye."

And here he is. Waiting on Mabel and she's one minute late now. He sighs and looks around. The mental ward is quiet now, but he's heard someone arguing and somewhere someone broke a glass.

"Hi."

Alex whirls around and sees Mabel. She's smiling somewhat nervous to him and leaves the elevator. He quickly smiles back and offers her his hand.

"Hi. Alexander Jareau, as you know. Sorry…uh, I thought it would be more polite if we just…did this." He stammers and looks down. Mabel giggles and takes his hand.

"I'm Mabel Hastings. It's nice to meet you, and thank you for coming with me here. It's nice to see that someone cares. Are you ready?"

He nods. They walk over to the receptionist area and Mabel talks with one of the women behind the big counter.

"Who is this?" The woman nods towards Alex who looks uncertain back at her.

"It's a school friend of mine. He's agreed to join the program."

"Intern or helper?"

"Uh… Helper?" Mabel shoots Alex a quizzical glance. He shrugs and nods, though he has no idea of what it includes. "Helper it is. If you want, you can take a course and become a senior helper like me. I'm also an intern, but just a junior."

"Uh… Okay."

He doesn't know the difference anyway, but he's not going to ask. The woman smiles and gives him a form to fill out. Basic details about him, if he had some experience with mentally ill people, if he has ever been diagnosed with a mental diagnosis, if he's on some kinds of medication and if he'd like to work on regular hours; they need to know everything. Two minutes later, Alex hands the form back and he has to take a picture, sign under and then he gets an ID card pinned to his shirt. He sees that Mabel pins her own too. She beams at him.

"Now, I'll show you around before we meet the first group."

Mabel walks with Alex over the whole ward. The bathrooms, the rooms, the departments, the on-call rooms, the cantina area, the big living room, the library, some hang-out rooms, as she calls it, a library and the strictly forbidden offices to the ones who work here.

"So…what kind of stuff are we going to do here?" Alex asks her.

"Have you heard of the program before?"

"A Friendly Hand?"

"Yes," she says excited. "It's a program for everyone in every age to come and visit people who are in mental facilities. We're supposed to help them in ways the staff can't. Like," she adds when she sees Alex's confused expression, "we can offer them someone on their own age to talk to, or just hang out with. But we're not their shrink."

"So they're paying us to pretend to be their friends?" Alex says. He can't hide the misbelief in his voice. Mabel shakes her head.

"No, of course not," she assures him. "It's not going to be like that. We rarely get paid, actually, as I said, we get food and we get to hang out with them when they can go to the movies or bowling and stuff like that. They pay us to just be there for them and listen, being a nice person. We don't have to be their friend, but I'd like to see you not get attached with them. It's real simple, actually."

She smiles assumingly. Alex nods in understanding.

"But…what do I have to do. What do I do if they want to talk to me and I can't comfort them with a satisfying answer?" Now he sounds worried. He doesn't want to screw up, or screw them up.

"Again: you're not their shrink and they know it. If they ask you a personal question or want an advice, it means that you've been here long enough that he or she considers you as a friend. Then you just have to be a friend back."

Twenty minutes later, Alex's introduced to a group of people who suffers from depression and mild cases of suicidal thoughts. It is ten people or so, mostly young girls.

"Hi, everyone. Most of you know me, I'm Mabel Hastings, and I've brought with me a friend of mine."

A friend, Alex thinks and he smiles shyly to the group. Some smile back.

"Hey guys. Uh…okay. My name's Alexander Jareau, but you can call me Alex."

"I was thinking that you could get to know him if you want, and we can just start with some ordinary things. You know, talking and dancing. I've brought with me some music, but I have to admit that my music taste is pretty…weird from what I think most of you like to listen to. If someone wants to help me out, that would be great. Now, we got music, some food over there, and, most important, you're here. Shall we get started?"

Everyone start walking around, they seem like they've done this a hundred times before. Some probably have.

A quite skinny boy comes forward to Alex. He looks suspicions at him and says:

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Maybe," Alex replies and shrugs, not daring to say anything else.

"She's not, I can see it. But I think she'd like to be your girlfriend."

Alex cocks an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup, also, I believe you hope you can be her boyfriend. What's stopping you?"

"We just met," Alex clarifies, "for like half an hour ago. She's a transfer from another school. We've been chatting and she asked me if I wanted to tag along here."

"In which you said yes, because you're hoping that she'll notice it and like you," the boy continues. He sounds so confident. Alex shrugs again.

"I don't know, man. I don't feel like I'm in love or something."

"It's no such thing as love with first sight that's that powerful," the boy lectures him. Some music comes and some people start dancing, others are just hanging around and Alex can see Mabel smiling warmly as she heads for a lonely girl who's sitting on her chair, not daring to do anything else.

"But it doesn't mean that you can't feel like you like her. You saw her and she saw you. Each of you liked each other instantly, but not like love. Just liking, and that's fine. That's a good start. I think you should get to know her."

"Do you have a girlfriend, Mr. Matchmaker?" Alex jokes.

"Nope, I don't."

"What's your name?"

"Stan." Stan waves to Mabel who gave the boys a careful glance. "I've been here since last spring. The exam period got the worst of me: I've got too skinny and too angry too fast. Now I'm here." He explains it like he should've explained a direction to a total stranger. Alex doesn't say anything.


	5. Chapter 5

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah, it was…good. Not great, because I saw a tiny part of how they must feel every day. It makes me… I feel fortunate and kind of responsible for them, but not like I should help them by becoming a psychology, more like I should come with you the next time you're dropping by."

"I know how you feel. It gets easier, but the feeling of being responsible is good, and it never goes quite away, which is the reason why so many come back and stay to help – they finds out they like doing this."

"Is this hospital the only one who has this program?" Alex wonders out loud.

Mabel shakes her head.

"Nope," she says, licking her ice cream they got when they left for the day. Alex watches her and smiles. She looks very… very content. He's happy for her.

"Most of the hospitals in this state and our neighbors have the same program."

"How did you hear about this?"

Mabel stops licking her ice cream. Suddenly a sad expression flees over her face before disappearing just as fast as it came. She hesitates and looks down.

"Wait, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It is fine, I understand," Alex hastily says. He regrets being so curious.

"No," Mabel mumbles, "it's okay. You've got the right to know. After all, you did come with me." She sighs and looks up. For a short second, their eyes meet and he sees her dark blue eyes. "When I was little, my cousin became very depressed. She was so for a long time, many years actually. I remember that the only one she wanted to talk to freely was me. And she told me everything. I remember that all I wanted to do was to make her feel good again, make her see how much she was loved and how much we'd missed her if she…went."

Alex didn't say a word. His hearth was pumping so hard. They sit outside of the hospital with the emergency entrance, but no one is around. He noticed the use of past tense, but he can't get himself to ask.

Mabel coughs and continues. Her voice's small and she sounds so sad.

"Four years ago, I came home and my cousin was there. Our parents and her parents were at work. She knew I'd be the only one home. She told me that she'd swollen a lot of pills and also she'd been drinking vodka. I could smell it too. And she made me promise to not call for help or any of our parents. If I did, if I tried, she would kill herself instantly. She had a knife in her hand."

Mabel closes her eyes and shudders suddenly in the heat of the sun. Alex hesitates before putting an arm around her. It's like she suddenly changes mood because her stiff body loosens up and she leans her head on Alex's shoulder, and Alex drags himself closer to her.

"I couldn't do anything. I couldn't help her. I just stood there, waiting for the pills and alcohol to take my cousin away. While we waited she said something to me. She said she was so sorry. She said that I was the only one who could prevent her for doing what she was about to do… So she had to do it before she came to our house. She thanked me for listening and helping her all these years, and she said that none of this was my fault – that I shouldn't feel guilty at all. I said I wanted to know why she did this anyway. I remember I asked about her therapist and everything."

Something wet touches Alex's shoulder and he immediately understands that she's crying. Salty tears hit the cotton of his T-shirt and goes right through. Her voice shakes and Alex can easily hear her crying.

"She said that the therapist could only do so much and that she wouldn't continue anymore. She'd suffered enough through these years, and she was so tired of pretending she was better. She wouldn't disappoint her parents by telling them about her suicidal thoughts."

There she needs to take a break to heave. Alex squeezes her gently and takes the other arm around her, having her body close into his own. She shakes while telling the end of the story.

"She started losing focus, almost passing out. She asked me one last thing: to help other people who were in her situation so they wouldn't do what she was doing. She said that I had the ability to change people's life, she knew it, but she didn't blame me for not helping her enough. She said that people too have to feel, like really feel, that they want to become better – she didn't, she told me, and then she passed out. I was in shock for several minutes, also I was terrified, angry and… I felt so helpless. When I could finally call 911, I knew it was too late. I took her pulse all the time and I couldn't find any."

Now she starts hulking and shaking even worse. Alex holds her tightly, not saying a word until she has calmed down, many minutes later. He just listens to her sobs, feeling her body tense when she sniffs, feeling the warmth of the sun and her body. After some time, he lost track of it, Mabel sniffs one last time and slowly rises up from his tight grip he quickly loosens. She looks down, too ashamed to meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry," she whispers.

"Don't be," he says sternly, but low. "I'm glad you told me, and I think you needed to tell someone. Don't feel guilty or ashamed."

"It's just…" she shrugs and starts over. "It's just that this isn't usually what I do: I don't cry in front of strangers."

He smiles sadly. "Am I a still a stranger for you?" He tries to lighten her mood and successes. She laughs a small laugh, tears still streaming down on her cheeks, but she wipes them away.

"I suppose not," she admits. "You're a good friend, Alex. One of few I have, if I'm being honest. I'm not that popular girl."

"It's fine with me. I'm not so popular at school either."

"I've heard something about you," she retorts, "you're a jock, but a nice one and you're smart too, and you have good looks…" She stops and looks down again, blushing hard. "Wow… That sounded…weird, I'm sorry."

Alex chuckles.

"It's fine. I'm glad to hear that someone likes me. Now I have one friend more," he adds. Mabel smiles and looks up, but not at him.

"You okay? You want to talk more…or is it enough?"

"I don't know. I guess I got the most of my feelings out right now. Though how embarrassing."

"Don't feel like that," Alex pleads, "it's okay. It's totally normal. You've been holding up about this for so long, I assume, and that's not healthy. I'm glad you opened up."

"Thank you," she says honestly. "For listening and for saying this. It really helps. I think you will do great the next times you're coming with me."

"I hope so too."

"Now, I'd like to hear more about you. I've certainty said enough," Mabel gives him a glittering smile. Alex nods in agreement.

"I was born in Florida, actually, but my mom and I moved pretty soon to my grandmother. My grams practically raised me for some years before me and my mom took off and I've got to know my mom for real. She was working then and it was before she started in the BAU."

"Is it hard on you both that she's away so much?" Mabel asks softly.

They're walking from the hospital to the bus station. There are many others outside walking too. It's Saturday so people got a day off, using it outside before the chilly August weather comes.

"It is… Or, it was. Now I'm used to it, and I'm not little anymore so I can be home alone for several days. But still I wish that she could be more home with me like when I was little. But I understand; her job's very important though it takes a toll on both of us. Because I know only something about what she sees and hears and have to do at her job, I try not to be a burden. Her job's physically and mentally tiring, and I don't want her to feel guilty or anything when's she emotionally stressed out."

"You're a very good person, Alex. A kind hearted one. I mean it."

"Thank you. So are you."

She doesn't answer on that, only fires off with a new question.

"So you two work it out pretty good then? What did you do when you were younger and she was on a case?"

They stop to wait for a green light before crossing the street with six others.

"I used to sleep with Penelope. It's the team's technical analysis. When I was little I crashed on the couch in her office until we went back home to her house and I slept there. A car got sent to her house to take me to school and it also picked me up after school. I've got kind of famous due to that, but now it's normal and no one actually cares." He chuckles. "I've got the driving license now so I drive to school."

"You have a car?" she sounds excited.

"Yup. I've got it from the team. They might be my mom's colleagues, but they're also our extended family."

"I see. That's nice. What kind of car do you own?"

Alex beams proudly.

"It is a pickup," he admits sheepishly. Mabel on the other hand lightens up.

"Really?" she says surprised. "Cool. What kind?"

He looks at her, trying to figure out if she's joking or not. She isn't.

"A Toyota Tundra, hot red."

"That's cool. You have a picture of your car?"

"Sure do. Here."

He pulls out his phone and scrolls through his many pictures before finding a couple taking just after a full body wash and polished. Mabel takes the offered phone and examines the picture.

"This is a real nice car. I've never driven a pickup in my life."

"I'll let you drive mine, if you want."

"Really?"

Alex nods. Mabel lightens up like a Christmas tree and she beams a ten thousand watt smile.

"So what does your mom do in the BAU. She's an agent, aye?"

They're on the bus on their way home.

"Aye," Alex says. "My mom's their media liaison, and she's also an agent."

"It must be terrifying knowing she's out there," Mabel says wearily, like she's not talking to him at all. He nods.

"It is, but I know she can take care of herself. And her team does too. They're very skilled, and they're offering everything for each other."

They sit together in a comfortable silence. Alex can't even remember the last time he spoke that much in just one day. Normally, he's kind of shy and tries to not attract too much attention on himself. Mabel's presence changes him: he doesn't feel scared to say the wrong thing, to stammer or start fumbling with words. Not unless he's about to say something highly…weird.

"Tell me something about you," he suggests after a minute. "I've told you a lot about me, I feel like I'm just talking all the time."

They both chuckle.

"Okay, uh…I'm from Nevada, but not L.A., I know everyone automatically think so, but it isn't like that. My parents are still happily married after almost thirty years together, we have a dog, it's a he and we call him Rex. I have an older sister, her name's Mary – she's in her fourth year at the University of Virginia."

"What is she studying?" Alex asks quickly. The bus makes a stop.

"Laws and stuff. She wants to be a lawyer."

"What kind of lawyer?"

"How many types are they? I did ask once, but now I can't seem to remember." Mabel looks at Alex, looking both confused and happily embarrassed.

"Uh, well what kind of stuff is she learning most about? Like her specialty?"

"It's about businesses and in banks and such things. You know: those huge firms and companies."

"I see," Alex nods, "she's studying to become a corporate lawyer then."

"I suppose," Mabel grins.


	6. Chapter 6

Alex came home around three o'clock that afternoon and called his mom in order to get the new code for the security system. Then the first thing he did was hunting for some snacks in the fridge before galloping downstairs to his room where he fires up his laptop and eats at the same time. It's a bad habit he has, but he's not about to break it now. For three hours straight, he's typing in search words on Google, YouTube, NHM, and news websites such as BBC, CNN, The Telegraph, and New York Times. He's looking up on everything that has to do with mental illness to do, how to spot the symptoms, how to help a person, talking to him or her and to his or hers friend.

Suddenly his cellphone starts ringing, making Alex jump. He looks at the screen and sees it's his mom who's calling.

"Hi, mom, you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you still at the hospital?"

"Nope, I'm home. Are you still at work?"

"I am. Hey, look: the team's going out tonight. We're heading to Hotch's, around seven-thirty. Do you want to come with me?"

"Uh… Sure, I'd like that. Shall I drive or take the bus?"

"It's up to you. Dress nicely, but not too fancy. Oh, and by the way, Emily's saying that Hillary and Henry are coming too, and of course, Hothc's boy will be there too."

"Ah, wow. I'm going to be busy tonight, then?" Alex smiles to himself. Hillary and Henry are one-egged twins. Emily conceived them only four years ago, they're only year younger than Hotch's son, Jack.

"Indeed. Okay, so just come in time and keep the kids with company. Hey, you want to bring that girl you went with today? Then I can officially meet her before the game."

"Mom," Alex sighs, "I don't think that's a good idea. People might get the wrong idea. And by people, I mean all of you. Especially Derek and Emily."

"Oh, that's not true, honey. They just want to know how things are going between you two."

"Mom! We're not dating! I saw her for the first time today, we barely know each other. And if the case was that we like each other, then so what? Not your business anyway, and it'll just be embarrassing for both of us. Also, I'd never let her in the presence of your team. Never ever."

He hears his mother laughing and sighs again.

"Okay, okay, they might think so, we all are. I admit it, but, hey, we're not going to attack her, or you two. And if you say she's a friend, then she is. We're a team of profilers, we'll know if you're lying or not."

"Correction," Alex says, "you know when I'm lying, not her. For all we know, she might be an excellent liar."

"True, but we're also looking at the signs, honey. Don't forget that. Oh, I need to go now, we're prepping for a press conference here. If you want to see your beautiful mother on TV, it's on channel 3 in thirty minutes."

"I'll see what I do, but okay. Bye."

"Bye, love you."

She hangs up and Alex tosses his cellphone on the bed. It jumps a couple of times before laying still. He groans, rubs his face with his hands and mutters something about being a couple. Then he sees the time and jumps up. He has to shower and get ready for the even at Hotch's.

He shuffles through his many playlists on Spotify before choosing one called "Home Alone!" increases the volume before snapping the cellphone to send a text before showering.

My mom and the team and I are going to mom's boss' house. You're invited too and they'll bother us for a minute before we'll get attacked by some kids. But there will be food. I can pick you up and then I'll drive you home, if you're in for it and have time. If not, it's fine.

Alex

When he comes back from the shower, two texts are waiting to be read. He opens them up.

Hey, wow, thanks for the invitation. A surprise, but a nice one. I'd like to come with you, thank you. Shall I bring something? And what is the dress code?

\- Mabel

The last text is also from her.

What time is it?

Instead of texting her back, he pauses the music and calls her up. She answers on the second ring.

"Hi, sorry for the late note, Mabel. My mom told me this for like six minutes ago, and it's about seven-thirty. We don't have to bring anything else than our hungry stomachs and energy to be with the kids. There are three of them: a twin couple, they're five, and the boss's son, Jack, his six years old. I'm his godfather actually, so it's my duty to spend time with him and spoil him."

"Wow. You guys seem to be real close. But okay, then. Then I think I should shower and get ready. What's the dress code?"

"Uh…a nice jeans or a skirt is fine. Agent Hotchner will probably take off his dress pants tonight, but still…it's normal to dress some formal on his events because he's the boss, and it's what everyone accepts me to do too."

"Great. You know where I live?"

"Eh…nope. Text me the address?"

"Will do. Okay, bye."

"Bye."

Alex hastily goes through his button-down shirts, choosing to wear a dark one and with a matching tie, tying his specialty knot. While he's brushing his teeth, he keeps an eye on the clock when his cellphone vibrates and makes a signal; it's a text from Mabel telling him where she lives. He nods to himself after reading it. He knows exactly where she lives, he's been in the house before actually, when the old couple lived there before the old man went into a home and his wife moved to be closer to him.


	7. AN - Chapter 7

Okay peeps, I'll be honest with you all:

a) I have never written a fiction story that I have published

b) I am not from an English speaking country, hence every error I have written

c) If you have some constructive criticism, I would be pleased to hear it, OR if you have some questions or ideas for this story

d) Chapters will be posted after I am done writing and re-read it (I am not a future editor so you will see some more mistakes)

Now I will start writing some more!

 ** _Thank you all Warriors_**


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey," Alex stands in the door and looks up at a woman. She smiles at him. "I am Alexander Jareau, I'm here to pick up Mabel. We're heading to my mom's boss' house to dine there."

"Oh, yes, of course. Come in, come in." She turns and let him go in the house, in which he does and closes the door behind himself. "Mabel! Your ride's here!" she yells, facing a staircase.

"Five minutes!" Mabel shouts back.

"Come in, she'll be out soon. You want some water or juice or soda?"

"Water's fine, ma'am, thank you," Alex replies courtly, smiling to the woman.

They enter the kitchen and Alex gets a glass of water with an ice cube too.

"So you're the boy who came along with her today at the hospital?"

"Indeed I am, ma'am."

"Oh, please, call me Emma."

"Alex," Alex says, nodding.

"So, Alex, tell me about yourself. I will not let my daughter leave without knowing something about you. Not that I don't trust you enough, I believe you're a nice young man and an honest and good too, after all," she smiles suddenly, "I know your mom works in the FBI – she's on TV a lot – and also I know some about you since you tagged along with my daughter, and that you contacted her. Not everyone does that. I am thankful for your effort, Alex. But I still don't know a lot about you."

Emma's leaning on the kitchen counter and she looks at Alex expectantly. He swallows and nods.

"Uh…okay, I guess I see your point. If I had a kid, I'd like to know something about that person who's going to drive him or her. Well… I'm sixteen, I play lacrosse and I'm on the team with my best friend. My other best friend's on the cross country team. Eh… I like to play lacrosse, I want to be in the FBI myself, and I will be, hopefully, heading for college on a scholarship when that time comes."

"What are your other interests? What do you want to achieve in your life?"

"Eh… That's a good question. I'd like to help people out, and I'd like to live in a safe and more secure country. My other interests are… watching TV-series, playing lacrosse, driving my car…uh, I don't know anything else."

Emma's smiling broadly and Alex relaxes a bit.

"You both look and sound like an okay young man, Alex. I expect you to take care of my daughter tonight and be a real gentleman. She's never been on a date in her whole life nor had friends who have invited her out on things."

"Yeah…I'm not her boyfriend, though," Alex says, sounding very uncertainly, "but of course I'll look out for her, even though I'm sure she's capable of taking care of herself."

"I know she can, and I know you two aren't together, but I also know that with you by her side, she'll be safer and I guess happier."

That exact moment they hear a door slam close and feet running down the staircase and they stop talking, waiting for Mabel to come down.

"Oh, okay, now I'm ready. I'm sorry you had to wait, I needed to fix my make-up," Mabel babbles the second she appears in the kitchen.

"It's fine, we're not late or anything. You look nice. Are you ready now?"

"I am. Mom, don't wait up, Alex's said he'll be driving me home too tonight so you can sleep. Right, Alex?" She turns to him and he hastily nods.

Emma kisses her daughter and gives Alex the look before saying goodnight and orders Alex to be careful when driving. Then they're in the car and Alex fires up the engine, backing up the driveway and heading out on the road.

"I'm feeling kind of nervous. Should I?"

"You should, but not very," Alex says, "the team's nice. They'll just ask you some questions and then you're fine. Oh, by the way, what did you tell your mom about me?"

"Did she interview you just right now?" Mabel wants to know, sounding annoyed. Alex nods while he keeps his eyes on the road. "Oh, Alex, damn, I'm sorry about that. She's not used to me going out so she's trying to be a dad and a mom at the same time, even my dad doesn't know a thing and is on a business trip somewhere in Asia."

"Okay then."

Thirteen minutes later Alex has parked outside of the house. He walks on the other side to wait for Mabel, but he doesn't open the door for her – she was too fast for him.

"Here we are. Now, just smile and nod and we'll be out of here in seconds. I'll try to preach my godson into letting us help him with building Legos."

Alex and Mabel walk toward the nice, white house. Alex uses the doorbell and very soon the door opens by a little boy who's grinning like it supposed to be Christmas morning. Jack screams in joy when he sees Alex and throws himself in Alex's open arms. Mabel laughs upon seeing such joy from the little kid.

"Hey, Jack, the man!" Alex hugs him tightly, "how's it going?"

"Uncle Al, Uncle Al, I've got new Legos to build. Can we play with it now?"

"Sure thing, little man, but I want you to say hey to a friend of mine." Alex turns Jack's head toward Mabel who smiles shyly and waves.

"Hi," she says warmly. "Are you Jack?"

"Yes, I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Mabel, a friend of your uncle."

"Are you two kissing each other? Because that's gross!" He makes a face and they can suddenly hear several voices are booming in laughter. The grown-ups have heard every word: they're lurking in the blind zone, behind the half-wall in the living room.

"No, we're not. I promise, you will not see us doing that," Mabel replies. Jack looks satisfied and he drags Alex further in the house.

"Dad, look! Uncle Al's here! Can we go and play with my Lego, Dad, please, pretty please?"

Aaron Hotchner, also known as Agent Hotchner or just Hotch, blocks the way for his son and squats down.

"Hang on, Jack. Alex's brought a friend, we have to welcome her."

"But I've already done that!" Jack groans and earns more laughing from the others. Two kids come running toward Alex and Mabel, but stop dead in their tracks, looking up on Mabel. They've never seen her before.

"Those are the twins," Alex explains in a low voice to Mabel, "Hillary and Henry."

"Son, I haven't, and neither have the others. Now, it'll just take a minute, and then Alex can come up with you to play, okay?"

"Okay." The boy sulks.

Jennifer makes her way through the little crowd, smiling happily to her son's friend. "Mabel, hi, I'm Alex's mom, Jennifer Jareau. I've heard that we'll watch Alex's game on Thursday together."

"Hey, I'm happy to meet you. And yes, we are."

Agent Rossi hugs Mabel in a fatherly way.

"Hello there, bella," he says, using a thick Italian accent.

"Sir," Mabel says, sounding a bit dumbfounded. She knows what the last word Rossi said means.

"You must be Alex's friend, Mabel?"

"Indeed I am, sir."

She can't stop using that formal word when talking with Agent Rossi. He's a legend, a SS agent, a writer, a hero in the BAU. Her uncle's mentioned him a lot through the years.

"Ah, child, please, call me David or Dave."

Mabel smiles happily. They all watch as Alex closes in on the twins and says: "Hey, you two, don't be afraid, Mabel's not dangerous. Come on, Henry." He opens his arms toward the tiny boy. The twins take a step forward, then Henry flies forward and Alex catches him. "Now, you're not a shy person, are you?" he says while tickling him a bit, causing the little boy to yield in laughter.

"No-o," he shrieks. Hillary looks at Mabel.

"Hey there. You're Hillary, right?"

Hillary nods. She's just as shy as Mabel, or even more.

I remember when I was little, Mabel thinks while seeing Hillary, I wasn't the first person to be comfortable with strangers. At least now I'm better with it, though I'm not that out coming as Alex is. Well, now these kids have probably known him since birth, of course they're confident with him.

"My name's Mabel Hastings. How old are you?"

"Five," the little girl says, smiling a bit. "I am eight minutes older than he is."

"Wow, that's cool. You're a big sister, then?"

Hillary nods. Her mom comes forward with an outreached hand and Mabel takes it, introducing herself to Emily.

"I'm Emily Prentiss, mom to these two angels. Why so shy, Hillary, honey? Mabel's a nice girl, she's very friendly. Why don't you go and show her what you did in kindergarten today with your nails?"

Hilary hesitates for a second before nodding and coming forward, flashing some newly painted fingernails. While Alex plays a bit with Jack and Henry, Mabel's busy with Hillary who has opened up to this girl and now she's talking about the kindergarten, before Agent Derek Morgan and Dr. Spencer Reid are watching them.

"So…Mabel, are you from around here?" Derek wants to know. Alex shoots Derek a warning glance, but Derek avoids him and grins.

"I am," Mabel replies, "I've always lived in Virginal, but I've just transferred to another school."

"What was wrong with the school you went to?" Derek continues, "No boys?"

"No, we had that there, but the school closed. It was Carter Prep-school, a private one."

"Ah, I see"

Thank Jack for finally interrupting them when he groans impatiently and shuffles toward Alex and Mabel, grabs one of their hands and drags them toward the staircase.

"Come on, Uncle Al, I got to show you the castle Dad and I built yesterday!"

With Jack leading the way, the two teenagers mutely following him, the BAU team's laughter can be heard from miles away, but neither Alex nor Mabel turn back or say anything.


	9. Chapter 9

Thursday afternoon at four o'clock, the school's empty alongside with the parking lot. Alex's home, eating dinner with his mom and her sister, Aunt Olive before the game will start. Aunt Olive and her girlfriend, Diana, will come to his game tonight too. Now Alex believes his aunt is one of the coolest woman he's ever met. First: she's the head nurse in the E.R., second: she's looks good to be in her late thirties, she's very good with her patients and understands them, she also plays FIFA, and the fact that she's lesbian and dates this woman Diana, makes everything even more cool. Alex never met Diana, but he's about to do so tonight before the game.

"So Alex, tell me: with whom did you go with to the hospital?" Aunt Olive asks, shuffling salad in her mouth.

"With a friend," Alex emphasizes the last word, "her name's Mabel Hastings, and she's coming to the game so now you got your chance to interview her."

"Oh, don't be silly," Olive chuckles, "I'll never try to embarrass any of you children." The sisters laugh.

"Of course not," Alex replies dryly, but he smiles too.

The game is at six on the field at school. Mabel texted Alex telling him that she'll be waiting for them all at the school's parking lot. In that way she can follow after Alex's mom, her sister, and Diana to the tribune.

While his mom is showering, Alex and Olive are playing FIFA against each other.

"I've been thinking about proposing to Diana."

Alex hits the pause button.

"When?" he wants to know. He knows that his aunt and Diana have been seeing each other for almost a year now. It's weird that he's never met her, but then Diana is a very busy woman, running her own sister company.

"As soon as I get my ass to a jeweler shop to get her a ring," Aunt Olive answers and looks at Alex, smiling with a half open mouth. Her eyes are glittering with joy and excitement. She places the console on the table. "Alex, I would like it if you came with me tomorrow to pick out a ring."

Alex lifts his eyebrows. He's both flattered and excited.

"Wow, I'd love to come with you. Thanks for the invitation, Auntie, when are you done tomorrow?"

"At four. And you?"

"If we win today, we got no practice tomorrow, if so, I'll be done around four-thirty."

"Okay. Well then, we just have to wait and see tonight."

"Yes. Wow, Aunt Olive, I can't believe you want to get married. And I haven't even met her yet!" he exclaims.

"Relax, you're about to. She'll be at your game with us."

"I know, I know, but still. You've been together for…what? Eleven months?"

"Yeah," she agrees and smiles softly.

Alex sighs. He won't attack his aunt. Instead, he gives her the console and smiles, patting her arm before pressing play.

"I'm glad you two have each other."

"Hey, sweetie, we're outside of your apartment now. You're coming out?"

Only a minute later, a woman leaves the apartment building and heads straight for Jennifer's car. They all step out to greet the woman. Jennifer however has met Diana before.

Diana is an average woman with smooth features, long, brown hair and wide eyes, average tall and average weight. She looks nice, and when she catches the eye for her girlfriend, her whole posture changes; she looks happy. Aunt Olive hugs her girlfriend and kisses her before releasing the grip and steering her towards Alex who smiles and offers his hand.

"Alexander, nice to finally meet you," he says.

"Diana Cruise," Diana replies. "I've heard a lot about you. You're a very good lacrosse player too, according to Olive and your mom."

"Oh…well, I hope they haven't exaggerated too much," Alex mumbles, sounding a bit shy, "after all, I'm going to play tonight and weirdly enough, I'm having my personal cheerleaders."

They go back to the car, Alex riding shotgun. While on the road, Diana and Alex are talking and getting to know each other a bit.

"I played lacrosse too when I was younger," Diana starts, "in both middle and high school. It was private schools and we had our own teams and such things: I was on the junior team though. Sports weren't really my thing when it came to taking it so serious. I'm more of a relaxed person, wanting to have fun rather to win."

"It's fun to win too," Alex implies. He feels his cellphone vibrating and checks it. A text from Mabel asking if he's on his way.

We'll be there in three minutes. My aunt's girlfriend's here too. This will be fun, for you at least :P

Before the game starts, Alex says goodbye to his mom, his aunt and to his aunt's girlfriend and to Mabel.

"We're going to find a place to sit," his mom informs him. He nods and takes off to the locker rooms so he can throws on his equipment. His teammates are there too, some are looking nervous, some are looking very relaxed and other look very focused.

"Matt, my man, I've got four ladies cheering on me tonight."

"What? Who?" Matt puts in his teeth protector and makes a face.

"My mom, my aunt, my aunt's girlfriend and Mabel," he replies. "I don't know how come this turned out to be so…weird. Anyway, where's Coach Damon?"

"He's on his way. I think he's spying on the other team, trying to listen to what their coach's saying in order to come up with a strategy." Matt and Alex snorts in laughter. Alex has his helmet in his hand and grabs his stick when they all hear Coach Damon.

"Okay, my warriors, tonight we have to show those southern ladies how to play lacrosse. Remember to always," he looks sternly at the three defenders, "block the attacker before running." Then he tells each of the team member's main job before a horn blows. It's the bleachers. "It's time to go," Coach Damon announces unnecessarily and they all follow him out and on the field. Cheering, screams, music, and laughter hit Alex's ears and with his eyes he's searching for Mabel and his mom, or his aunt and her girlfriend. He finally catches them, seeing Aunt Olive waving with his mom, jumping up and down. He waves hesitating back. On his left, Matt whistles to his girlfriend. She's on the cheerleading squad.

The game starts. Alex and Matt plays very good in the first game, but their offenders are good and read their play fast and good: Matt only scores two goals and Alex three. They're under with six goals when the fifteen minutes break comes. Coach Damon fumes, yelling at the midfielders who won't start running some more in order to cover more fields.

"Jareau, Kowalski, you both know that these guys can see your moves even before you do them, so why the heck are you still playing it out? Change your strategy, make some new moves, and use your sticks more. This is lacrosse, not baseball!"

While the boys are drinking water, their coach comes up with a different strategy and puts the boys in their new spots, changing only one team member, the left midfielder.

"Okay, boys, this time, I want to see a far more fair play and of course, teamwork! I know you can do it, I saw it last practice. Kowalski, use that fine trick on them, have Jareau to back you up. You got it?"

"Yes, Coach," both Alex and Matt says loudly.

"Then get out there and show me how you're supposed to play lacrosse!"

"Congratulations, Alex! God, you played brilliant! And that other boy, number eleven, you and him showed some fine teamwork play out there tonight."

Aunt Olive praises Alex. Her strong arms pull him into a hug and she kisses the top of his head. He blushes, but smiles widely. The game ender 21-17, they won.

Coach Damon did right when he changed their game tactic and told their midfielders to use another tactic – it helped a lot. And game, the team's star player, went out and scored 9 goals, Alex scored 7. The midfielders scored the five other goals.

"Thanks, Aunt Olive. Yeah, that's my best friend, Matt. He's an excellent player! And we've been playing on the same team since our freshmen year."

Diana too gives Alex a hug, though a quick and awkward one.

"You played very good," she says and smiles.

His mom squeezes the air out of him, telling the whole world that she knew they were going to win and that Alex was as good as she had told her sister he was.

"Now…do you want to go out and celebrate?" she asks his son. "Do you two want to tag along or is it too late for you?"

"Well, I'm ready to grab a bite," Aunt Olive says. Then she looks at her girlfriend who just nods and shrugs.

"Me too, this game made me famished."

"Probably because you were jumping up and down," Aunt Olive teases.

"So did you!" Diana laughs. They start walking, but Alex stops and waits for Mabel to come closer. She smiles wearily.

"That was a good game, your play was nice."

"Thank you," he says. He waves uncertainly at his folks and says: "Do you want to come and have a bite with us? We're celebrating, according to my mom. You are more than welcome to come."

"Really? I feel like I'm…intruding your family life," she admits sheepishly.

"Don't think like that," Alex hastily shakes his head, "you're not. Definitely, you're not messing with our quality time. We'd like to have you with us. If you don't have other plans, or something else to do, tag along. Is it okay with you mom or dad for you to come with us, though?"

Now it's Mabel's turn to shake her head.

"I've done my homework and my chores for today. I'm good to go. I just have to text my mom. Where are we going?"

"Uh…"

Good question. I have no idea.

"Mom!" he yells and Jennifer stops and turns around. "Where are we going?"

"Where do you want to go?" she asks. "It's your game we're celebrating."

"How about heading to Duke's?"

"Okay. You're coming with us or are you riding with Mabel? She's coming with us, right?"

"I am," Mabel shouts back, smiling. She's gotten a bit more confident with Jennifer these last hours.

"Good!" Jennifer smiles.

"You know where Duke's is?" Alex asks.

"Nope."

"I'll show you then. You care to drive?"

She giggles and nods, taking out her car keys and they walk to her car. Jennifer looks after her son and his friend. They look so cute together: walking close to each other back to Mabel's car.

"Let's go, sis," Olive shouts for her.

Duke's almost empty. It's a hidden treasure and few people know about this nice café/diner. The owner is a Duke Nelson and his wife. They've been running the place since the 80's and have since the 90's hired two people to help them out.

It seems like people arrive when they are on holidays or its weekend.

"Are you ready to order?" Mrs. Nelson asks kindly.

Both Jennifer her sister order the specialty of the house this week: two sandwiches with mac and cheese, fries, and a small salad. Diana wants a simple fish 'n chip.

"And for our young ones?" Mrs. Nelson peeks at Alex and Mabel.

Mabel looks at the menu before shooting a glance at Alex's direction. She's not sure of what to order.

"Uh… I don't know yet," she says.

"It's okay, I can come back." Mrs. Nelson leaves the table with her orders.

"You're having trouble deciding what to eat?" Alex glances over her shoulder and peeks at her menu.

"Kind off," she admits.

"You have any allergies, or are you a vegetarian?" he asks. She shakes her head no. Then Jennifer gets an idea.

"Hey, how about you two sharing this one?" She holds up the menu and points with her finger on the picture. It's a plate with fries, three sausages and a salad and you can choose between three types of sausages. It looks big, but for two people it will go down easily.

"You want to share that one with me?" he asks, unsure of what his mom's planning now. "You don't have to if you don't like it."

"No, it's fine. I'd like to share that order, thank you."

"Number fourteen it is, then." Jennifer smiles giddy, avoiding her son's glare.

Alex orders for himself and Mabel, telling Mrs. Nelson that he's having a Fanta and she will have a Coke. Their meals arrive and they eat and talk, laugh and sometimes tease one another. Alex watches how Diana is, how she appears and how she treats his aunt. He also keeps an eye on Mabel. She looks like having a good time: laughing and smiling, eating and sometimes she even teases him when his aunt does.

The evening ends and they go home to themselves. Mabel says goodbye and "I'll see you tomorrow," to Alex before she jumps in her car and takes off toward her house. Diana and Aunt Olive are the next one to say bye. They'll spend the night together, to say it in a mildly manner.


	10. Chapter 10

Mabel walks through the corridors of hospital. It's Saturday, next week's Thanksgiving and she and her family are going to West- Virginia in order to visit her dad's family. She won't be seeing Alex or his family or her friends for four days. Somehow, knowing she's not going to see Alex makes her body ache and she shudders.

She knew, somehow she always known, but she hasn't given it much thought because she's afraid of what she will think, if she will react and if what would happen if she'd let herself fall in love. With him, Alexander Jareau. What would happen if she admitted to herself that she's falling for Alex? What would happen if she tells Alex? In what direction will their close friendship go? If she screws things up, she'll never be able to talk to Alex…

Just the thought of not being able to be his friend, makes her feel like a knife's in her stomach and she groans. She can't keep this up. This faux façade, it isn't nice and it won't help her: she has to tell him something, quickly!

"You're looking like you're far away."

Mabel jumps and opens her eyes. She sees Kaitlyn hovering over her. Kaitlyn is fifteen years old and she's been in this ward since last spring – she's not the only one who has been here for longer than anticipated. The thing about Kaitlyn, except from the fact that she's mentally ill – struggling with an eating disorder, PTSD, and survivor's guilt – is that she's quite brutally honest and very good at reading people. Mabel never asked her why she has PTSD or why she's struggling with the thoughts of being a survivor. Maybe it was a school shooting somewhere and she saw someone close to her die?

"I was. Until you blew me out of my head. What's up?"

"You tell me," Kaitlyn barks back, "you're the one who's thinking so damn hard. What's going on in your head, May?"

Why does she keep calling me that, Mabel want to know?

"Not much. Just thinking of the pro and cons of being…honest."

"You're thinking about telling Alex about your feelings?"

"How did you know?" Mabel looks at Kaitlyn. Her mouth is open in shock.

"It's quite obvious," Kaitlyn says, defending herself and shrugs. "It's no big deal, it's not every minute of the day. Just now and then. I don't know about you, but I were you, I'd tell him. He seems like a real nice guy, and he won't mock you or make your friendship a complicated thing if you tell him and he's not as keen as you are. But don't worry about that, May, I've seen him too. He is very keen on you."

Mabel scoffs. She doubts it.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Kaitlyn drags on the word before sitting down on the opposite side of Mabel. "He's always with you, isn't he?"

"Yeah… But not at school."

"He has his friends, you have yours?"

"I don't have friends except from him and his friends."

"Why aren't you with them then?" Kaitlyn wants to know.

"I am…sometimes, but sometimes I like to be with myself. I got to know another girl though. His best friend's girlfriend, Allison, we've gotten the chance to talk a bit, but she has her cheerleading friends so…"

"But okay, you have friends. And he's one of them. So, for starters, he's always here with you, you hang out with him, his friends, and his family. Also…it's clear that you like him, and I know Alex is interested in you, though maybe not so much as you are in him, and that's cool. He will be, I believe, if you tell him what you feel."

"Seriously?" Mabel eyebrows are furrowed.

"Yep." Mabel makes a pop sound on the 'p.'

"How can I tell him? Am I supposed walk up to him and say 'Hey, you know what? I like you. Do you like me? If not, that's cool, I'm just saying what I feel."

"Yeah, but not so bold, maybe? Try to be easy and honest. It's simple, May."

"Really? And I guess you've done this before too?"

"Nope," Kaitlyn answers shortly. "But you don't have to be future NASA astronaut to figure out how to talk with someone. Talk to him after you're done here. And next week I want full rapport."

"Next week's Thanksgiving. I don't think I'll be home by next Saturday, sorry."

"Oh…" Now Kaitlyn actually looks disappointed. Mabel sighs. There will be many who can't leave the ward this Thanksgiving to spend the holiday with their family.

"But I bet Alex will be here," she adds to enlighten Kaitlyn's mood, "so you can just ask him."

"I'll do that." Kaitlyn rises. "Now, let's find your future husband."

/

"I'm home!"

"Mabel, honey, we have to talk."

Her dad's home! And he wants to talk?

Hesitantly she walks to the TV-room and sees her dad and mom. Her dad turns the TV on mute and looks at her.

"Sit down, please."

"Is it that bad?" she mumbles.

"It's nothing to be worried about, dear, we just want to inform you about some manners," her mom says.

"Really?"

"Really." Her dad takes her hand and soothes her. "Look… I know I haven't been here as much as you want me to, but that doesn't mean I care for you and miss you a lot."

"Dad," Mabel begins, but she gets cut off by him.

"No, listen to me, Mabel. I'm not the perfect dad, but I try to be. And sometimes I fail, sometimes I don't. Now…," he takes a deep breath, "I will not be that father who fails in giving his daughter the talk."

"The talk?" Mabel repeats uncertain. She has no clue of what he's insinuating.

"The talk," her dad acknowledges. "Yes, about…bees and flowers."

"Dad!" she exclaims and jumps out of the sofa. "No, please, don't! That's not your job, it is mom's, and believe me, she did it perfectly, and so did the school nurse and every other student consular."

"Sit down, young lady!" her father says sternly. "I know what they've said and showed you, but they that was before you had a boyfriend."

Silence.

"Boyfriend? I don't have one, dad."

Her father looks at her. Suspicious first, then he looks quizzical and then he looks embarrassed. He turns to Mabel's mother.

"You told me she was seeing this Alex guy," he acclaims.

"She is," her mother fires back.

"But he's a friend, mom! I'm not dating him," Mabel insists. How could they think so?

"Mabel, I'm sorry, but the rules still apply." Her dad looks back his flustered daughter. She furrows her forehead

"What rules?" she wants to know.

"New rules, about you and boys, and you got yourself a new curfew. Every friend of yours who's a boy needs to come to my house and talk, especially if he's taking you out somewhere. I don't care if it's only with him or with your friends, he has to come inside and we'll have a chat. First on the list: Alex, and then his two friends Matt and Omar."

"Dad, please. Don't cut their head off," Mabel begs and looks helplessly at her mom.

"Second, you are to be home latest seven o'clock on a weekday, ten in the weekends. If you want an exception, you have to talk to me or your mom and give us a good reason to be up later. Got it?"

Mabel nods once.

"Third, any boy you are to be girlfriend with needs to treat you like a damn princess. I will have anyone treating you like a whore or someone who's not worth a penny. He has to open doors for you, ask you on real dates, buy you chocolate and flowers on Valentine's Day, pay for the dinner, ask how your day's been, ask about your feelings and thoughts. And no intercourse, before you're at least sixteen."

"So in three weeks then?" Mabel teases, but immediately regrets it when she sees her father getting pale and then red. "Dad, I'm kidding, and okay! We'll go by your rules. But I'm telling you, I'm not bringing any boy to this house if you're going to point at him with a shotgun."

"He will not do such thing, sweetie," Mabel's mom shoots in, "just talking to the boys. And if the boys are okay and answers in a good manner, neither of you got anything to worry about."

Mabel groans and rises.

"Okay. Now, can I please be excused? I have homework to do."

"Yes. I'm glad we had this talk," her dad says after her back.

"Me too!" she mumbles.

My dad's crazy. He got all these new rules and I have now a new curfew! It is unbelievable!

What you're doing?

\- M

Mabel hits send before tossing her cellphone on her desk. She's done with her homework and has brushed her teeth. She's ready to head to bed, but first she has to text Alex. His reply comes only a minute later.

Why? What rules?

I'm playing FIFA with Matt and Omar. And you? How's Rex?

\- A

She quickly gives him a resume of tonight's speech from her dad, and adds the curfew time.

Because of you boys. He thought I was dating you actually! Mom's not very good with details when it comes to boys and me.

Rex's still at the vet's ICU. He's going to be fine. Are you winning?

\- M

Wow! Remind me to never drive to your house when your dad's home! Nope, I'm not, Omar's quite good in this. But I've won twice before this match so I'm not crying or anything.

\- A

Yeah, remind me to never let anyone drive me to my house. Just let me off like a block or two before my house.

Go on now, Alex, don't let anyone win over Liverpool! It'll make me very disappointed if you manage to lose while playing Liverpool against City, but of course, if you do lose – which you are not to do – I will mock you for the rest of your life! Just a heads up

\- M

You're so nice, do you know that?

And no, I will not lose! But in order to not lose, I will need both hands within two minutes when my turn's up. Want to skype while I play?

\- A

Okay, sure

\- M

Mabel opens Skype on her cellphone and calls Alex who answers five seconds later.

"Hey," she says, feeling an immediate calmness and happiness flush through her body. "You're winning soon?"

"Hey, and no, I am not, because I haven't started playing yet. What's up with your dad, by the way? Why all those rules?"

"Because of boys," Mabel says before admitting: "and partly because of you."

"I apologize," Alex says sincerely. "I didn't mean to cause you any trouble, I can talk to your dad if you want to?"

"No, no, it's fine. Really. Besides," she adds, trying to sound casually, "he's just looking out for me like any other dad."

"Yeah, he is. You're lucky to have him," it comes softly from the other end.

Mabel bites her tongue. She knows that Alex's dad is out of the whole picture: Alex doesn't even know who he is. According to Alex, his mom didn't know him that well, she and his father had a one night stand, just a short fling. What Alex is sure of, is that he's not a product of sexual abuse – thank God for that.

"I'm sorry," Mabel says.

"Don't be," Axel immediately cuts her off, "it's not your fault. I didn't mean it to sound like that, I'm sorry, it's my fault, I wasn't thinking how it must've sounded. Don't worry, Mabel, I'm fine, we're fine. Now…I am about to score, so, just, please, hang on, oh, no, maybe now…YES!" He yells and Mabel flinches, but smiles.

"I take it you scored?" she jokes.

"Indeed I did. Now I'm not going to let him score."


	11. Chapter 11

At Thanksgiving eve, Alex texted Mabel with a picture of their dinner table at home.

 _I don't think I'll be hungry anytime soon! How was your day? Have you've guys eaten yet?_

\- _A_

 _Nope, but we're about to set the dinner table so I'm counting the minutes until my hunger will be satisfied._

\- _M_

 _Cool. Talk to you later. Have a great holiday, Mabel._

 _Oh, and I'm heading to Wilson on Saturday, but I'm guessing you're still in our neighbor state, aye?_

\- _A_

 _Yeah, I'm sorry, but yeah, I think I will. But you have fun! Say hi to them from me. Oh, and tell Kaitlyn I said hi._

\- _M_

 _Will do._

\- _A_

At Saturday, Alex enters the psychiatric ward, this time alone. He gets his ID badge and walks straight to the group room in the library where today's sessions going to be held. Two other volunteers are already in the group room, talking with the teenagers.

"Alex, come here!" a voice squeals and Alex locates Kaitlyn. He goes over to sit down beside her.

"Hi, how's going? Mabel said I should say hi from her."

A glimpse of triumph flashes in Kaitlyn's eyes, but it disappeared as soon as it came. She smiles shortly and nods.

"Cool. And yeah, I'm okay. I think I'm getting out within two months," she adds and swallows. "God, I'm not even sure why I'm so God damn nervous about it! I mean, I've been way too long and every day, even now as I'm better, I've been looking forward to the day when I hear I can get out. But now, now they've told me, and I just feel like I'm losing. Like losing myself or something." She groans. "Does that even make sense to you? Because it certainly doesn't make any sense to me, Alex."

Alex studies the teenager. Turning his upper body toward her to make her know that she has his full attention, he speaks up quietly.

"Well… As you said, you've been here for a long time which means you have had to adapt yourself to many things and after a while, you've gotten used to this new daily schedule – you've actually gotten comfortable. And that is good! It really is, Kaitlyn. Considering the fact that you're better now than a year ago, shows that being here is working: you are better, you have more self-confidence, you have gotten real friends in here who can somehow relate so much to you. So upon leaving, you're leaving both bad and good memories, people who love you and people you'll miss. And that's scary only the thought of it, and what's more is that you're leaving a safe place. This has been your safe heaven after you let it be, and now you have to leave it and face the real world again. A place that made you as you were before entering this ward."

Kaitlyn stares at Alex without blinking. Then, her jaw lines shows and she sniffles before standing up and heading out of the library. Alex lets her go. She probably needs some time to understand what he said and think about it.

"Alex, I need your help with that _thing_."

Alex looks quizzical at his aunt. What does she means?

"The proposal," she whispers instantly. He gasps in understanding. "Now, I will propose the second day of the year," she explains, "but as you know, we're both coming over to you to celebrate. So…I'd like to you to hang up some decorations and lights in the backyard while we to head up to dinner. I hope your mom will help you too, but I also want someone to record everything."

"Really?" Alex asks, impressed. "Not to be rude, Aunt Olive, but what _if_ she says 'no' and that I will film. Would you really like that?"

"Of course not, Alex. But I _know_ she'll say yes. We'll talk about this sometimes soon and I already got a feeling that she's willing to marry me, that we've said to each other multiple times, but no one's ever asked the other. I think Diana's scared I've changed my mind because now I try to avoid talking about that subject."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a terrible liar and if she asks too much, I won't be able to keep a neutral mask. I'll blow it all."

"Wow…okay, I get that. So yeah, sure, I'll help you. What kinds of decoration and lights do you wish for? I don't have anything else to record with than my cellphone. The same goes for mom too."

"Well…we could borrow one? Or loan one from a shop," Aunt Olive suggests.

"Ah, I don't think so, Aunt Olive. It will be too expensive to use for just one time. But I will ask around for a video camera and I'll text you later when I got one. Okay?"

"Okay. And thank you, Alex. You're the best." She hugs him before leaving him in the lobby of the hospital. He just smiles and waves after her, then he turns and heads for the doors while checking his phone.

Two new SMS's, one from his mom and one from Omar, he reads them both.

 _When you're done for today, take a tour into my office. And if it's after four, please, bring some food will you?_

\- _Mom_

 _Hey bro, what you're up to?_

\- _O-man_

Alex hits them back by texting Omar first and then calling his mom.

"Hey, mom. You okay?"

"Hey, sweetie. Yes, I am, thanks. Where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the bus stop. What shall I bring with you tonight?"

Jennifer sighs in delight. She has been so busy the last few hours hence the feeling of starvation. What would she have done without Alexander?

"Hmm… Some Chinese food sounds extremely tempting now. You've eaten?"

"Yeah, okay. I did. We had lunch there before I left."  
"When was that?"

"Around noon, I think."

Alex goes on the bus and presses his bus pass on the machine until it beeps only a second later. He finds an empty seat while still talking to his mom.

"You have to eat now."

Easy and clear. No room for discussion. Alex rolls his eyes, though his mom isn't there to see it. That is probably good for his well-being.

"Okay. I'll eat with you. You're doing paperwork?"

"I am. Boring, but necessary. Oh, and Emily says hi. She wants you to come over and shoot with her sometime soon. She still holds the team's record for melee hits, you know."

"Oh, I am _definitely_ going to take that title from her," Alex promises. "But cool, tell her I said hi too. How are my godson and goddaughter?"

"They're fine," Emily's voice suddenly supplies. Alex smiles. His mom must have had him on speaker.

"Hi, Emily," he greets her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm bored as hell in here, Alex. When you're coming to train with me? Or, should I say, when do you come to get humiliated?" Both women chuckles.

"Nice, Emily, real nice. Remember," Alex says dryly, "I'm your kids' godfather, and I have to say that the way you're treating me now, will make me a bit annoyed. And when I get annoyed, I have no problems with using my charm and my charisma to my own benefits. And you and I know that Hillary and Henry listen more to me than you when it comes to denying their parents."

"You wouldn't!" Emily shouts, half throatily and half threateningly. Alex is silent. "Okay, okay! Fine, I'm just missing you, that's all. Not because you're a horrible melee attacker, but because I love you."

When he enters the BAU's bullpen, several people turn to see who's arriving at this time. It is four-twenty-two and many are on their way home.

"Alexander, hey!" Spencer says surprised.

"Mr. Reid," Alex says back. It's a private joke between the two of them: Spencer is one of few who's _always_ says Alex's whole first name, so Alex always calls Spencer for 'Mr. Reid' to equally annoy him. Since Spencer has several PhDs, two masters and now also a bachelor in sign language, his title is in reality Doctor, though he's an agent too. By miss-pronouncing his title, Alex gains a sour look, and then a smile from the young doctor, agent, and genius.

"You're here to see some cases?" Derek's voice comes from behind Alex. He comes up on Alex's side, putting his left hand in his pocket as the other hand is gripping tight around a thermos mug. Alex can smell the coffee.

"Always," he says instantly, sounding eagerly. He's seen some old cases or freshly solved cases up in his years, but his mom doesn't like it when he asks to see one of the files the team's solved. It has some quite graphic and brutal description and information – information that he technically isn't allowed to read.

"Dream on!" an icy and stern voice echoes through the room. Everyone freezes and stops with what they're doing. They all hear Jennifer Jareau's footsteps coming closer before stopping right behind Alex.

"Uh… I was just joking, mom," he says. Then he gets an idea. He hurries with open the paper bag, grabbing the food for his mom and holding it up to her. "I got you the food you wanted. It is Chinese, as you said you wanted." His voice tunes out. Derek coughs and silently slowly steps away from momma Jareau's vision before sprinting towards his office.

"Don't think I will not find you, Morgan!" Jennifer yells warningly after his back the same moment as the door to his office shuts close. "And you, young man," she hisses and turns her steel eyes on her son's shaking hands. "I will not hear you say that ever again. You know that what we do isn't pretty, what we have to see and hear and discover – none of that's pleasant, even though we do get the Unsub, we know that there are victims and other horrible people like the one just caught who are still out there. You will not be seeing your PS4 until next year if I hear you say something like that again. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes," Alex says fast. "We do. Totally."

"Good. Now, come one, I'm hungry and you got to eat too."

They head for her office in total silence as the life in bullpen goes back to normal. Everyone avoids Ms. Jareau eyes when she walks up the ten stairs divided into two staircases.


	12. Chapter 12

Three months later

Olive proposed to Diana January 2nd. She said yes. Alex recorded it all with a video camera he borrowed from Omar. His parents has four different cameras in which they can film their son when he's running and they're really good cameras too. Jennifer and Alex helped out with the decorations and setting up lights everywhere in the backyard.

Closing in on January's the life went on as it always does. Jennifer and the rest of the BAU team have cases all over the country, leaving Alex much alone, but he's busy with school and lacrosse practice. And both he and Jennifer know that Penelope can track Alex's every movement, legal or illegal without getting caught. Matt and Allison are still together, now Allison is running for school President for the rest of the semester and she has her small campaigns all over the school, while Omar's getting better and better with his running career at the cross country team. Though he's grades aren't that good. Especially not in the math and biology, so Alex offered to help out his friend by meeting up with him after school every Thursday when they don't have any after school actives: Alex gives Omar private lectures in math and biology. He still goes with Mabel every Saturday to Wilson's Hospital to see the sick kids and teenagers.

Mabel and he have gotten to admire each other, but Alex's very unsure of himself. Does he want to extend their relationship? He wants to, but how much can it expands, and what does Mabel feels. She's very interested in him, he kind off senses it at times, but again, other times it seems more like she just wants to escape from him. It confuses him a lot. Why are girls so damn complicated?

That Friday evening after the game – they lost it by only two goals – Alex checks his phone while sulking in the locker room. Even Matt's gone: he took off with his girlfriend for about ten minutes ago.

 _Can we talk? I'm outside of the locker room._

\- _M_

Alex starts sweating almost immediately and he breathes fast in and out while he throws his towel and shampoo in his bag. The rest of the lacrosse equipment, except from his clothes, is in his locker, waiting to get used once more.

"Alex, in here." He sees Mabel: her head's peeking out of a door. He follows her and closes the door, realizing they're in Coach Damon's office. Multiply trophies and other medallions are in glass lockers and some diplomas and photos are on the walls. Mabel looks just as nervous as Alex feels.

"I'm sorry that you guys lost tonight," she says with compassion. "It was a hard game."

"Thanks." Alex coughs and waits for the rest of whatever Mabel wants to say.

"Uh… Look, I know what I feel and I know what I think about my feelings, but I don't know about you. And I don't want to screw up our friendship, because you're my only guy friend that I really can be myself with." Her words just blurts out. Alex stands still. In his chest, his heart is pumping so hard and so fast. Adrenalin fills his body. It's just like if he were to go out on the field before a game.

"Mabel," he begins, but she cuts him off by waving her hands and shaking her head.

"No, wait, please, let me finish. I don't know if I got the guts to finish if I let you say something." He nods and signs for her to continue. "I want us to be more than just friends. We've been kind off dancing around each other, but I feel like you want the same thing as I, but the next day it's like you've changed your mind. I'm kind of crazy about you, I admit that." She takes a breath. "I've fallen for you a long time, and it has happened – it's still happening – in a slow, but certain pace. I believe you share some of my feelings, but again, I am not one-hundred percent sure. So, Alex, what do you think? What do you want? Because if I am wrong, which I don't think I am, but anyway, _if_ I am wrong, then I've been a fool and I've just made a mess and I've probably ruined our friendship. And also, I made a fool out of myself just now." She heaves for more oxygen, having red cheeks and throat, and an anticipated look in her eyes. "Alex, you're not saying anything."

"I…don't know what to say. Listen, Mabel, I am sharing some of your feelings, no doubt, and yes, we've been flirting very much lately, like more than a friendly flirting, and yes, I like you too. I do. And I don't want to ruin our friendship neither. But what do you say? Do we continue as friends or do we take a shoot? I'm up for both, though I'd like to see if we could get…together and if that doesn't work out, I sure hope we could stay as friends."

A silence follows those words. They both stare at each other and then Mabel starts smiling. Then he smiles too, first a bit shyly, but then broadly.

"Okay then, then it's settled," she says.

"It is, isn't?" he replies. He hugs her tightly. "I will really fight for us."

The sound of those whispering words makes Mabel shiver and she hugs him back, letting him know that she will fight too.

/

It's February 1st. Soon, Alex will be turning 17! Two days ago, he and Mabel announced their relationship. He got the _talk_ from her dad twice, though he pretty much said the same thing in both speeches. His mom and the rest of the BAU team congratulated them, Aaron and Morgan came with examples of how Alex should treat such a young and nice lady. Emily told Mabel to never accept a snarky comment from Alex. But Jack was best. He almost cried when he saw the two of them holding hands. Alex thought Jack just got really jealous because that he would've understood, but that wasn't the case. He has had a crush on Mabel since the first time he saw her. And upon hearing that she was with Alex, made him jealous on Alex rather on her. It all ended up with Mabel telling Jack that she was too old for him and that he had to at least graduate from primary school before he could think about getting a girlfriend.

/

February 3rd Alex drives back home from Lacrosse practice. They didn't do too well today, according to a moody Coach Damon. The minute the front door closes behind him; Jennifer runs forward and almost jumps on her son. She looks heavenly happy as she screams in excitement.

"You will not believe it!" she cries out. "Look! Look at this!"

"What?" he asks bewildered, but he smiles. She has a photo in her hand and she gives it to him. He turns it over and studies it. His jaw drops. " _What_?" he exclaims.

It's an ultrasound photo of a baby. A small baby, but he can easily see it's a baby. He swallows.

"Aunt Olive?"

"YES! Oh God, I can't believe I'm going to be an aunt!"

"Me neither. Wow, I'm about to get a cousin. The first one! Who carries him, or her? Do they know the gender yet?"

"They don't want to know. And it's Olive. She's always wanted to so."

"Mom, you're going to be an aunt! Like she's Olive to me. Can you believe it?"

"I know!" she cries out in happiness. They hug each other.

The next day the BAU team has to leave for Dallas in Texas. A storm has blown down several houses and small apartment buildings, revealing a graveyard of slaughtered old men and women. They have to go there, inspect the bodies and make up a profile of the killer, or killers.

"Buy a stamp for me, will you?" Alexander asks the same evening he is driving his mom to the airport.

"Of course," his mom says, smiling. "Now, Alex, I know you and Mabel are quite serious together."

Alexander groans. He'd hoped his mom wouldn't repeat this 'flowers and bees with protection talk' when he already got his a few days before turning 16.

"Mom!" he complains, "We've been here before. I know and she knows."

"Okay, okay, but just listen, please? Then I can head for the jet well knowing you're informed about my concerns and rules. She can spend the night, that's fine. I trust you both to be act as grown-ups, the both of you are _very_ mature and I know that none of you want to sign up for _16 And Pregnant_ anytime soon. This is, however, _only_ if her parents agree on it."

Alexander sighs.

"And what's the catch?" he asks.

"Act as you both are grown-ups, just like you do always when you're home alone, and no illegal stuff. Pen will come by later if she can leave before 9 tonight."

"That's it?" Alexander frowns, casting a suspicious glance at his mom. She nods.

"Yes," she assures her son, "I trust you and I trust her. I know her enough to think that I'm not doing a mistake now by leaving you alone with the permission for dating her when I'm not around."

"Thanks, mom. Really."

Alex flashes his ID badge and signs himself in into the electronical system. An agent winks him through the gates and he parks on the airport's V.I.P. parking lot, grinnng smugly at his mom. She scoffs a laughter and rolls her eyes.

"See you later, don't get arrested while I'm gone."

"Won't happen," he replies. He takes her suitcase and carries it for her the fifty meters to the bridge leading from the ground and up to the sleek white jet.

"I will call or text you when we have landed," Jennifer tells him. "I know you'll be sleeping, so I'll try to send it to an okay time for you. Okay, thank you for driving. ANd carrying this. Here, I'll take it."

The suitcase changes owner.

"You're not coming with us, little agent?"

Alex smiles and turns around. Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss are standing behind them, observing the mom and son.

"No, I think I am much more needed with Pen tonight," he replies with a grin, "and why do you have sun glasses on you already? You know you're going to fly in the dark, right? It's not until you've actually landed and the sun's up that you will be needing those."

"Smartass," Derek chuckles. "I'll need it to sleep on the plane," he explains, "I am very sensitive to lights. Take care, little agent." He gives Alex a fists bump before boarding the plane.

"Remember to watch out for Garcia for me," Emily says. "And tell Sergio I said hi."

"Sure. Bye, Agent Prentiss." Alex turns to his mom. She hugs him tightly.

"Okay, bye. We'll call when I'm free and you're out of school," she promises.

"Yeah, I know. Go now, or you'll be late. Bye."

He shuffles her to the gate. She picks up her suitcase and carries it up to te jet doors. Then she stops, turns and waves at him and he is waving back before they both turn and head towards different places. In the car, he watches as the jet fires up and slowly wheels off towards the runway.


	13. AN - Chapter 13

**Hey everyone!**

I am currently writing on three different stories, hence the tardienss of every story. I will post a new chapter when I get some ideas and have time to write, but the updates will not be regular.

 _Thank you all Warriors!_


	14. Chapter 14

Jennifer wakes up to the smell of coffee, but doesn't move before something stings in her side and she jolts up with a scream.

"Morgan!"

He grins at her, looking like a little boy.

"Did you just poke me?" she croaks.

"Yeah, I thought I could be nice and wake you up before Hotch's coming. Here, I got you some coffee, extra strong with a lot of cream and a bit cinnamon."

Jennifer sighs and stretches her body.

"You're an angel," she moans and accepts the coffee. "How did you know I like it like this?" she asks, slurping her hot coffee.

"JJ, I've seen Alex making your coffee thousands of times," Morgan explains, sounding cheerful.

"Oh, well."

She takes another sip before setting the cup on the table, yawns as she stretches on her body. Emily Prentiss comes walking in with a paper coffee mug while balancing a stack files and her wallet.

"Hey, you're up early," she greets her friends. "Oh, JJ, I just hung up with Penelope. She's ready for out monthly girl's night when we come back. She already briefed Alex with the babysitting."

"Okay then. Good!"

"Are you girls not going to invite me?" Morgan fakes as a hurt voice, looking from Jennifer to Emily.

"Nope," Jennifer says, popping the 'p' and smiles a sugary sweet smile. "It's called a girl's night out for a reason. But, of course, if you're identifying yourself as a woman, I can assure you that we will not hold it against you. I'll talk to Garcia later tonight. I'm sure she'll understand when we say we're bringing an extra guest."

Morgan snorts.

"Yeah, right."

"Morning, everyone, I'm glad to see you all here so early. JJ, where are we on with the media?"

Hotch walks in, dressed in the usual outfit: suit and tie with black shoes. He looks tired. How can he be so tired? He didn't stay up all night and fell asleep whilst trying to inform every police officer on duty around the world with what they're dealing with. Officers who thought it was too early or too late to note anything down. And then she tried to gather as much information about the victims and the area around them as possible, and even with the help of Garcia, she had a lot to go through. All in all, she just slept four hours. While they others have been sleeping from one in the morning to at least seven.

"We're good, sir. They've gotten their orders and I've told them that we will have a press conference tonight right before the eight o'clock news."

"Good. Has Garcia found anything yet?"

"Anything she has found is sent to us, sir."

"Okay, then we should go ahead and analyse what she's got for us."

They all sit down with coffee cups and tablets or laptops. Some of them take notes. Then, after some minutes, a phone starts buzzing and making sounds.

"Oh, it's for me," Emily states and hurries out of the room. The rest of them keep reading the notes from Garcia.

"Have someone the file about the first victims?" Derek asks. Rossi hands him a file. "You guys see this? The first victim was an average male in his late twenties, and the forth one is too. The seventh one is an average woman in her late twenties. That can be a coincidence."

"In this job a coincidence is never just a coincidence," Jennifer states, earning the nod of approval from Rossi.

"She's right," Hotch adds, "we're not sure what it is, but I think we should follow that trail. Reid, a theory on this would be great. Everyone else, let's start digging. When Prentiss comes back, tell her we need her to translate these French dialogues from victim number five."

"She's out there," JJ says, looking back over her shoulder to see her friend looking extremely worried.

"Is something wrong?" Reid asks. He too stares at Emily. "She looks like someone just died."

"Reid!" Morgan barks out. "Think, what if that is the case?"

Hearing his agents argue, Hotch looks up from a file. He furrows his eyebrows.

"Everyone, stop looking. If there's something wrong, she either tell us or not. Now, let's keep working. Rossi, I want you to call Garcia and tell her to find out about all of the victims grades in high school and in college. See if anyone majored in the same thing."

Rossi looks confused.

"Hotch, we went over it yesterday," he argues.

"I know, but not the grades. If there are something about them, anything they did while they went to school, it can be a lead. We still don't know what they all have in common."

/

"Hey, are you okay?"

Emily turns around. She looks shocked. Her hand grips her phone hard and she sighs.

"JJ," she says, "I have to tell you something, but I don't want you to get all upset."

"Emily, what's wrong? Is it the twins?"

Emily shakes her head. She sits down, places her phone on the desk and groans in despair while her hand goes through her hair.

"Look, JJ, I'm sorry for this. I know you never would have dug deeper if it weren't for Garcia, so please, don't be mad at us."

"Emily!" JJ snaps. Her patience ran out two seconds ago. "Tell me what's going on."

"It's not the twins, it's you. It's Alex."

 _Alex? Is he okay? What's happened?_

"He's fine, but… Okay, listen: Garcia got some new information about his dad."

"His _dad_?" JJ chokes out. "What about him?"

Emily's eyes dart around the room. She sighs and stands up and waves to JJ to follow her into an empty room. JJ closes the door behind her and looks straight at her friend, silently demining answers.

"You know whenever a new team member arrives, he or she has already been cleared by the government to become an FBI agent and then an agent within a speciality," Emily begins, sounding like she really wants JJ to understand the facts in the situation, "and when I joined the BAU, the moment you all got to see my file where my past was written, I got yours too. I got accessed to everyone's files, and I had to read it. Hotch ordered me to do it, I had to learn about my team members, and I saw the story of your son's father."

Emily pauses. JJ looks confused as she tries to understand what exactly her friend's trying to tell her. Okay, so Emily knows that she got knocked up while in high school and she knows that JJ hasn't had any contact with William since that night. So what? Alex asked only twice in his life about his father. The last time was when he was 7 years old and wondered whom he should invite to the carrier day where the dads should come and talk about their jobs. It ended with him asking Derek Morgan, even though it was only a few months after the he and JJ had moved and she had started her new job. Alex and Derek got to know each other quickly. Alex adored him, he looked at Derek as a big brother, or the father he never had.

"Emily, please just tell me what's going on. I can't guess whatever you want me to figure out, and I'm too tired to even try," JJ pleads.

"Garcia called. She told me someone from the county jail in Texas just called her, telling that a certain person was in custody. He's being charged for car theft and robbery."


	15. AN - Chapter 15

Hey people!

Long time, no update, I know

I found the time and I got some ideas today. So this is me, trying to shares my ideas. I hope you won't find the abrupt ending not too annoying, I'm just a fan of cliff hangers, but I will try not to leave you hanging there for a long time!

* * *

 _Thank you all, Warriors!_


	16. Chapter 16

JJ inhales sharply. The oxygen is dry as sand and she almost coughs. Her hand flies to her mouth, she looks horrified.

"WHAT?"

"It happened just this night. While doing the car theft, he cut himself and left behind DNA, and the crime scene forensics run the DNA. The tests just came back. It's him, JJ, it's William LaMotagne junior. His dad died four years ago in a hurricane, and he lost everything and became broke and drunk. I think he was trying to steal the car and get some more money by robbing the shop. JJ, I'm really sorry. I know this isn't something you wanted to hear."

"I never wanted to hear from him ever again. Or about him."

"I know, JJ, and I'm so sorry for this to happen with you."

JJ squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head. Holding up a hand, she says: "No, don't be sorry, Emily. It's not your fault, really." She groans and leans back on the archive file locker, sliding down. "And why did county chief call Garcia?"

"Because he's listed up on the list on the FBI's list of potential knowing an agent. You know, if you had a husband who got into trouble, or got into a car accident, you would be notified so you would know if he's alive."

JJ nods. She knew that. It was protocol, as was everything else when you worked with or for the US government.

"I didn't know he was still on the list," she whispers, "I just put him there after Alex asked me about him once, and I had some of those technical geniuses to track him down. He was running a car service at that time. It's more than ten years ago. I remember that I thought about Alex. How he one day might to come and ask me about him again. If he wants to talk to his father or at least just know if he's still here. God, I should never have done that! If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here now. And I wouldn't worry about him trying to contact me or Alex."

"JJ, listen to me. I know it's a bad timing, but Garcia told the county chief to take care of LaMontagne until further notice, and she did say that you would call her, or them, so they would know if they should do something more."

"Like what? Letting him know he has a son? No. No way! He has no business coming here to take custody of my child. Alex is mine! He was never there, and after we spent the night, he never called or did any effort to contact me."

By now JJ's shouting.

"Shh, I know, JJ, I know. But this is how it works. And he's not going to know about Alex unless you tell him so. He won't ask for you and he certainly won't ask for someone he doesn't even know exists! Now, hear me out." Emily soothes her friend, placing her hands on her shoulders, gripping the body tightly. "I can call for you. If you want me to, I'll call Garcia or themselves and tell them to not call back and I'll have Garcia delete him from the list."

JJ doesn't answer. Emily sits down, facing JJ. Her friend doesn't say anything, nor does she move for about five minutes. Emily lets JJ have her peace. She is obviously trying to figure out what to do.

"I want to call Garcia and check if there's some way he might get to know about my son," JJ finally says. JJ looks in Emily's brown eyes. She sounds calm and determined. "Then I will have to tell Alex when I come back. He has to know about this, and he also has to know who his father is."

"Okay," Emily just says.

"Oh, God, Emily, what am I supposed to tell him? That his father's a criminal and locked up for car theft and robbery? Is there anything else he's charged with?"

"No, or at least Garcia hasn't got that information yet. And…I don't know, JJ. The easiest would be to just tell him straight out, be honest and answer every question he might fire off, and tell him that he is nothing like his father. Alex a good kid, he would think badly about himself within seconds upon hearing how his father is.

JJ nods. She presses her head in her palms and sighs.

"I knew this day would come when he would come back to haunt me. To haunt us."

/

 _Hey, how's it going?_

 _I've got your stamps, and the serial killers are within our reach. I think we'll be home on Friday afternoon._

 _Mom_

It's Wednesday. The clock's two p.m., and JJ's finally eating her lunch with her co-workers and friends. The team now knows about the case with William, but none of them have commented on it other than Hotch. He asked for a private minute and told JJ that if she needed some days to sort out things when they got home, she could have them. JJ thanked him and told him that she didn't know yet how Alex would react. She got some days off.

Their case is going well. The two serial killers are a couple they suspect. Killing in different ways in choosing their victims confused them in the beginning, but they all knew that it couldn't be just one UNSUB. When they set out the idea of being two killers with a serious relationship, things got a bit smoother. Reid made a geographical theory of the area where their victims were killed and to where their bodies were dumped. The theory suggested that they didn't waste their time and got rid of many victims on the same place, hid them good, and then left. The mistake was that they always came back with new bodies and after some time, a close-by shop owner got annoyed when the same station wagon always came back and parked on his space so he couldn't park in the mornings. It ended up with him installing a camera and then got the UNSUBS and their care on tape. The only thing that remains is to actually track them down and arrest them.

 _Everything's okay. Pen's bugging us, we're behaving and I'm playing tomorrow. Mabel will send you some pictures I bet! Glad to hear you've made some progress!_

 _Stay safe_

 _A_

JJ looks, locks her phone and smiles. It's always comforting reading Alex's texts. They're short, informative and he always leaves the same two lines at the button. Stay safe, A.

 _I'm the one to say that._

Then her thoughts go straight back to her work duties when her phone rings and she sees that Rossi's calling.

"Rossi?" she says upon picking up.

"JJ, you have to come down to the hotel now. We're swarmed with reports. I'll text you the address."

"Okay, I'm on my way."

She stands up and grabs her purse and car keys before jumping in the elevator. JJ pushes the button to the garage floor and while she waits, a text pipes in.

 _Why can't Rossi talk himself? He's smart enough to know what to say and not, and besides, he knows more about this case than I do. Also, he's been dealing with this for years in different situations._

But before she reaches her car, she has the answers on her tongue. First of all, it's her job as the medial liaison to handle the communication between the FBI and the people. Secondly, Rossi knows that JJ has more experiment in this field than anyone else on the team. Thirdly, JJ will have her thought on something else than worrying about her son and what to tell him when they get back. And fourthly, the team needs all of its members in their rightful position.

When JJ reaches the main entrance of the hotel where their UNSUBS have been hiding, reporters. They have TV-cameras. They are ready to go on live. She will have to have a quick press conference until she gets more information.

"JJ!"

JJ turns to see Hotch. She hurries towards him.

"We got them," Hotch says, instantly revealing a sigh of relief. "But we need you to keep the press away until we can interrogate them both. Can you keep them occupied while we move them out?"

"Yes, sir." JJ turns on her heels.

The rest of the team comes out, escorting two people out. They have their faces covered.

"If everyone can come here! I will tell you what we got so far."

Every reporter starts fighting their way towards JJ and she tries to calm them down. She explains in a calmly way what has happened and what will happen, answering some questions while she's in it.

"Is it true that your son's father is in jail?"

JJ freezes.

 _How does she know? Who is she? Who told her? Oh God, this is on live TV! If Alex sees this…_

JJ plasters on a fake smile, trying to brush off the whole incident.

"I'm sorry, but I think you got the wrong information, and besides, my son's father does not involve in this case. Now, the BAU and the local PD will have a press conference before the eight o'clock news. Thank you all."

She hurries away from the reports who yell more questions after her and some takes more photos. JJ pushes through a small crowd of police officers trying to find Emily. Someone must have told someone about William!


	17. Chapter 17

"Mabel? Come out, I'm waiting."

"Fine, I'm coming. Hang on for a sec, will you?"

Alex hangs up and waits impatiently for his girlfriend to get out of her house. Tonight he's playing and she's promised him she'd be there with her friend from the AP math class, Camilla Owen. Camilla has always been the smart one in Alex's class, ever since he got to know her a bit in the chemistry class. They were partners last year, but they are not friends. Now when Alex's girlfriend has befriended her, Alex has taken it upon himself to get to know Camilla better. After all, she wasn't that bad last year, she just was very energetic.

"Hey, so sorry for the tardiness," Mabel excuses herself the second she opens the car door and glides in.

"Not a problem, but we're going to be late if you'd been a minute later. I don't want Coach Damon to yell at me tonight."

"He won't," Mabel states, and gives Alex a swift kiss on his lips. Alex's face changes colour.

They reach the school in time. Alex throws the key and his phone and wallet to Mabel, grabs his equipment and bag before taking off. In the locker room, some of the guys tease him for being so late. He's never late. And they try to play out the role of Mabel and him making out, over exaggerating everything while glancing at the door in case Coach Damon's on his way.

"Oh, shut it!" Alex mumbles to Matt who makes kissing sounds. "I was not the one who was late, it was Mabel."

"Yeah, sure," Matt says sarcastically, clasping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Well then, let's get going before Coach comes in here and yells at us."

"He's going to have the pep talk outside?" Alex asks. He's dragging on his equipment, getting help from Matt to put it on in the right order.

"Yeah, because he wants us to really see the field so we know what he's talking about." Matt rolls his eyes. "As if we don't know the field good enough."

"Right," Alex says with his teeth protector on. "Okay, let's go then."

The two of them leaves the locker room carrying their stick and helmet. When they are close enough, both of the guys can hear cheering and whistling from the crowd sitting, or jumping up and down, on the tribune. Matt searches for his girlfriend and so does Alex. Though the two girls have boyfriends who are best buddies, they're not. Also, Alex, Mabel and Matt are in a different class than Allison, making it harder to befriend her. The only reason Alex knows about her, is because of Matt. But it doesn't matter when Allison have other friends she hangs out with.

"Guys! Gather along here now, and shut your mouth. Listen, today we got some company," Coach Damon says and points with his chin to his left. Two middle aged men in sports suits are looking around on the field. "Those are from Stanford and California! Guys, you know that they can be the ticket to your future. So go out there and play like never before. I don't think I have to remind you all of that this is the last game before we can go to the finale of becoming regional champions!"

Everyone roars and yells, raising their hand in the air.

The game is on. Everyone runs around with their stick, everyone is on alert. Alex runs up the field alongside with his teammates. The ball's in the air before it lands in a stick to one on of the opposite team, but a midfielder block him, swooping up the ball and throws it. Alex gets the ball and starts running towards the goal, ducking and jumping out of the range of a stick that comes flying in front of his face. He makes a maneuverer to the left before jumping up, sliding his stick between the defender's arm and stick. The ball flies straight towards goal and the goalie doesn't have time to even react. Alex grins. His team erupts in cheers and screams. So does the people on the stands: they are jumping up and down.

"Good work, Jareau!" Coach Damon yells from his place. He looks over excited. Alex casts a quick glance at the guys from Stanford.

/

"Good work out there!"

Alex turns to face Coach Damon. He smiles widely, looking like a proud dad. "Really enjoyed seeing the two of you play." He nods towards Alex and Matt. "Kowalski, where was that aim at yesterday's practice?"

Matt just grins sheepishly back.

"So now we're champions?" one of the defenders asks, looking like he's about to faint. Blood pours from his nose still. He got hit by a stick right after break when he just had taken off his helmet.

"Hey, man, you okay?" Alex asks, laying a hand on the sophomore's shoulder.

"Yeah…Think so. Do I look like I got a stick in my face?"

"Uh, nope. You just look like you went on a pole. But don't worry, Dean, chicks love it when they see blood and guts. You're going to have a great time tonight."

"Really?" Dean looks sceptical. Alex just nods. "What happens tonight? Is there a party somewhere?"

Alex shrugs.

"Dunno. Hopefully."

After the game, Alex finds Mabel who waits for him at the bottom of the stair case. She hugs him and he smiles.

"Hey, handsome. You did good tonight."

"Thanks. Did you cheer on me?"

"Of course I did. Didn't you hear me?" She kisses him playfully.

"Not really," he murmurs, burying his face in her dark, red hair. He breathes in the smell of her hair. It smells like shampoo. Strawberry and vanilla.

"My sister asked if we were coming home."

"Mary?"

"Yeah. She's home for the weekend. Mom and dad are out. They went to Stafford. It's a wedding there. They'll come home later on Saturday I guess."

"You want to go home?"

They start walking towards the school. Alex has to shower and change either way.

"If you would come with me? You haven't met my sister yet."

"Would it be like when I met your dad? Because I rather don't do that again." He shudders at the sudden memory. Her father, Mr. Chris Hastings, had very unwillingly talked to him and informed him about how he'd suffer if he hurt Mabel. Of course, that was to be expected, but the thing is that Mr. Hasting really didn't look happy about the whole situation. Since then, Alex has avoided going into the house when he's home. He knows he's been acting like a typical boyfriend. And a rude one too, considering he doesn't show up at the door whenever he takes Mabel out, but he's scared of Mr. Hastings. With good reason. Mabel even told Alex that if he were to hurt her, and her dad got to know about it, her dad wouldn't care if he hurt a son of a federal agent.

"No, I don't think so. Mary's not like dad. Or mom. She's just my sister, you know, she'll be like very interested in you and then she'll mock us. Be a plague for the next times you see her."

"Well , then I think I can safely go inside of the house. I'll just shower and call my mom. Okay?"

"Okay," Mabel smiles. "I'll wait for you at your car."

Alex nods. He hurries inside of the locker room, balances his stick on the floor and throws off his gear. Finding his clothes and soap, he snaps out a white towel from a huge pile. Showering quickly and then he dries himself before stepping out of the shower.

After he got dressed, he picks up his cell phone and tries to call his mom. She doesn't pick up so he assumes she's either very busy or on the jet on her way back home. Hopefully she's on the jet. Instead of texting her, Alex leaves a message.

 _"Mom, hey. I'll be at Mabel's tonight, but I come home later tonight. If you're home before me, which I bet you will be, don't wait up. Just sleep or something. Okay, bye. Stay safe."_

Putting his gear and stick in one of the lockers, locking it, he grabs his car keys and jogs out of the locker room. He can still hear people coming from the game. They are going to celebrate, he just knows it. They are, after all, almost regional champions if they win the next game, which is in two weeks. Where it will be, they don't know before the winning team of their match is announced.

"Okay, let's go then?" Alex jumps in his car and Mabel follows on the passenger side.

"Yeah, let's meet my sister," she says, buckling up.


	18. Chapter 18

Friday morning finally arrives. Alex wakes up and groans. He's tired and sleepy. He also freezes. Somehow he's freezing like hell. And his body hurts. He coughs, feeling his sore throat. Last night, he came home very late, around two in the morning, and saw that his mom is home. She was early, actually. Because according to her text, she was to come home on Friday, but anyways. The sooner, the better.

"Alex, are you up?"

"No!" he yells back. He rolls over on his side, groaning. "Ough, I'm dying," he complains to himself. "Mom, can you come down here?"

The steps from his mom come closer until she appears in the door.

"Hey, there. What's up?"

"Not feeling like one hundred today," he says. "Where's that thing you stick in the mouth to check the temperature?"

"Hang on, I got it."

Seconds later, she comes back.

"Open your mouth."

After two tests, the results are clear.

"Oh, you're over than 100," his mom says. "A 103.1." She places a hand on his forehead. "Yep, you're burning up."

"Or I'm freezing to death."

"That's called a fever, honey. Don't worry, it'll pass. What did you do last night?"

"Mom, a fever has nothing to do with what I did yesterday. It's just a bacteria that struck me a couple of days ago. Then I haven't been sleeping much lately because of the game and stuff."

JJ sighs. She looks concerned at her boy.

"Well… At least I'm home now. I'll call the school and tell them you're sick. Maybe Matt or Omar can pick up your homework?"

"It's Friday, right before our mock exams, mom, we don't get homework. Can I have some water? My throat is killing me."

"Sure. Just lay still here, and don't move. I have to make some calls."

JJ heads back upstairs and grabs her phone, first calling the school to tell them that her son won't be at school today. Then she calls the BAU.

"Agent Hotchner, what can I do for you?"

"Hotch, hey, it's JJ. Look, I'm home with Alex. He's out with a cold right now and I'd like to keep him with company."

"We're not getting in any cases over the weekends, JJ. Not after our last case. Don't worry, you got the whole weekend and Monday off."

"Yeah, I know. But I wanted to check in with Garcia. Or someone else. That knows about…eh, my son's father."

"Oh," Hotch says, sounding surprised. "Garcia doesn't know anything more. She called the county office and asked them to notify her if he did ask about you."

"Good. Okay. What about removing him from the list?"

"Garcia has already done that. She says he won't be able to track you two down either. You're both under the FBI's protecting list, you know. The address to an agent isn't in the official records."

"I know. Okay, that's good. Thank you, Hotch."

"Anytime. And JJ?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Tell Alex I said hi."

"I will. Bye."

JJ hangs up, holding the phone and sighs. How is she supposed to tell Alex about his father? She could do it today. Now he is home and she got the chance to do it. But she doesn't want to. Not right now. He doesn't need it, either. He's sick and needs anything else than the information about his dad's crimes.

JJ hurries to the kitchen and finds some bread she toast lightly before putting on peanut butter and jelly. Then she finds a can of coke, a straw and some ice. She puts the ice in a bigger glass so the coke will stay cool before she balances everything on a small tray.

"I come in peace," she offers and laughs at her own joke, lifting the tray on Alex's bedside table. "You hungery?"

"Not really, but I am sure I will be very soon. Thanks, mom. Now, tell me, how did the case go? And where's the stamps?"

Alex sits up in his bed and opens the coke can, puts the straw in and starts drinking. JJ sighs and takes the chair and sits down.

"The stamps are in my luggage. I haven't unpacked yet. I got some really old ones too, from one of the houses."

"You stole evidence?"

"Alex! No, of course not!" JJ says in exclaims. "A really nice old couple wanted me to have when I told them I had to get some stamps for you. They were the grandparents to one of the deceased victims."

"Oh. Here I thought you were stealing the stamps. But now I see." Alex cocks his head and grins to his mom. She sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Alexander, you are too much," she mutters.

Then it is silent as Alex absently takes the can in the glass with ice and pops an ice cube in his mouth. He closes his eyes.

"I need some drugs," he finally says.

"You want to sleep a little bit?" JJ stands up. She goes to the medicine cabinet and finds some pills for Alex to take. "Here, this will make you feel a bit better. Those will also make you sleepy so you can rest. You need to rest. Take these and when you wake up, take this one," she holds up a white pill, "if you're having a headache or have a really sore throat."

Alex nods. He takes the two pills, shuffles them down with some coke and then he creeps back in his bed, dragging the blanket up. He's still freezing.


	19. Chapter 19

Three hard knocks on the front door makes JJ jump. She sits in the living room and reads the paper on her iPhone while juggling a tea cup in her hands.

"Who is it?" JJ calls as she walks to the small foyer.

"It's me, Emily!"

JJ unlocks the door. Emily Prentiss and Penelope Garcia stand outside. They are smiling tentatively. JJ notices Pen holding two wrapped in packages in her hands. Emily smiles apologetic.

"Hey," JJ says, trying not to sound too surprised.

"We thought we could keep you in company while Alex is drooling away," Emily says. "And we also got some news, about…him. That's why Penelope is here, and also because she insisted to come when I told her I was coming here. She wants to check up on her godson."

"Oh, yeah, well, come on in." JJ steps aside and lets her guests come inside. "Just take off your clothes here. Here, I can take your jacket."

Emily and Penelope and JJ all go into the living room. JJ closes off the door just in case Alex wakes up. Then he can't hear them.

"So, what's new?" JJ wants to know, sitting in the leather chair.

Emily looks at Penelope. She looks uncomfortable, but she coughs, cleaning her throat, and looks straight at JJ.

"It seems like William La…"

"Just say 'he,' Pen," JJ says courtly.

"Oh, right. Well, it's seems like _he_ has tried to contact you. By letter. The letter was written just as the day he got caught. We can't actually stop it and I guess it's in your mailbox today or maybe on tomorrow. You don't have to open it, JJ. I think I know what he wrote too."

"Tell me, please."

"Uh…It just says how sorry he is for how things turned out and it also says that he wants to meet Alex."

"What? No! No way, that is _not_ happening!" JJ hisses. "How does he even know about Alex? You told me he didn't, you told me wouldn't ask for him!" she accuses her friend, looking at Emily. Emily looks pained.

"I know. JJ, I'm very sorry. We really did think that he didn't know about Alex, but apparently he got the news from someone else."

"Or he knew all the time," JJ whispers. That's a possibility. Though she hasn't seen or heard from William since the night they spent together, doesn't mean he could have traced them down. Or her parents. Maybe her parents told William about her, about Alex? And he figured it all out?

"Well, how he knew or got to know about Alex, we won't be able to tell," Emily says, "but we can pull some strings now. We can have him shipped to another state, like to Washington or Oregon, and he will have to serve time in a really gloomy prison for some time. We can do that, and we can make sure that you and Alex are safe. You can relocate yourself, or you can get a safe house just in case. Hotch will help you, I know he will. Also, my mom can help. I got some friends in the CIA still that can give you some tips. And you won't be alone, JJ, we're all here to help you. But listen, he's not on our list. He's not a federal threat, so we have to do it all under the radar. Hotch will only go so far. But we will all help, of course."

JJ sighs. She places her head in her hands and shakes on her whole body.

"No," she mumbles, then she repeats it a bit stronger. "No. We won't move and relocate and make so big deal out of this. Not before we know things for sure. I don't know how he got to know about Alex, but I don't care. It's too late to do anything about it now. For all I know, he might even have seen Alex. You know what we do, what we see. We know that to track down people and to keep an eye on them isn't that hard. And if _he_ has done that, then okay. I can't do anything about it now, but I won't have Alex talking to him. I don't want him near my son!"

Both Emily and Penelope nod.

"What do you want us to do?" the technical analyst asks. "I can make something happen and no one will ever know about it. I can put on some lists? Like 'look out for these men, they are top ten dangerous' list?"

"Maybe not something that extreme," JJ says.

"A no-fly list?"

JJ chuckles. Oh, how sweet Pen can be. She would really do anything her and her godson.

"I don't know, Pen. But I'm not so sure that putting him on a no-fly list will prevent him from coming here when he is released. Is he going to jail for a long time?"

"Just six months," Emily says. She looks relieved now that JJ seems to be a lot calmer. "And when he gets out, I think he will search for you. But you know, you're a FBI agent, your address is not visible for the common people. Only feds can know about it."

"What if he has friends within the feds?" JJ worries.

"Oh, don't you think about that. I've already covered that area," Penelope assures her friend and smiles. "I changed the name on your address you were listed on. Everyone else on the team knows where you live and Hotch understands the circumstances. Now, Alex and you are under different names. But the address is the right one, though."

JJ sighs. She's relieved.

"Thank, Pen. I really don't know what I should have done without you. Just the thought of him finding us…" She doesn't finish the sentence, but shudders and grits her teeth. "I don't know how I'm supposed to go to work and leave the state when I know that man is looking for my son. Though it's six months till, I just feel queasy thinking about it."

Emily and Penelope looks sympathetically at JJ, exchanging a glance.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Emily says, patting JJ's hand. "I know you won't anything happen to Alex. And we won't let anything happen to any of you. Don't think about it, JJ. Oh, and Penelope has removed his name from the birth certificate so if something were to happen with Alex while we're gone, like if he has to go to a hospital, they won't call him."

"Good," JJ emphasises. "Very good."


	20. Chapter 20

Two weeks later

"I really like these guys," Alex admits. He and Mabel are back at the hospital, visiting the teenagers on the psych facility. Right now, they are eating lunch with the others who are visiting or working here.

"So good," Mabel says, looking happy, "I was kind of hoping you'd enjoy being here, even though what we see isn't always pleasant."

"Well, I see the joy in their eyes when we come and I see their happiness when they tell me about the day they can leave. I think that's very cool, you know, to see that they can enjoy themselves here, but also be able to look forward to come home. No one belongs in here, it just a necessary pit stop and sometimes they don't function well when they don't know when they can go back home. That's sad, when they are scared and can't go home." Alex brochettes a meatball with his fork and then he stabs some macaroni before eating it.

"I think you should become an intern here."

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me. You get to get so much more to do, but mostly you'll end up doing exactly what you're doing now."

"So what's the difference? I get more responsibility?"

"Yes. Also, you can decide what to do and come with offers to the department leader. Like, if you think that taking someone out to the park is a good idea, you can propose that, and if she says yes, you're the one in charge. Of course, there will be a nurse or someone from here to watch us all, but you know, he or she will pretty much try to lay back as much as possible."

"Uh-huh," is all Alex says. He takes a sip of his water. "Well…I'm happy with what I have to do now. I feel like, being an intern, requires much more of you. And I am no way qualified enough to help others while they're outside of these walls."

"Oh, don't worry, Alex. I'm sure you'd be fine. Besides, someone will come along. Come on, please? Do it for these kids here, Alex. They deserve some fun, and we can make their day. They can do stuff with us that other teenagers do every day and take for granted."

Alex grumbles.

"I don't know," he huffs, "I don't even know if I'm qualified to take them out on a trip."

"Don't worry. We'll figure it out. They either say yes or no, and if they say yes, they will help you too. When I signed up, I had to attend a little course. Nothing big or stuff, just went there twice a week for two weeks. Then you get your diploma and you're an intern. Also, this will look very good at your college application. Showing that you're doing voluntary work, and especially if you can document it all by a diploma like this. And the nurses will write you a letter of recommendation because it says that they have to when you've been to an intern course."

"Oh, okay, fine! You got me, I'll sign up for being an intern. Or like, for the course. Then we'll see what happens."

"Yes!"

She pumps her fist before continuing eating.

"I got you just because of the college thing, didn't I?"

"Maybe. Well, okay, yes, you did. Am I selfish?"

"A little. But at the same time, it helps other people so you're not too selfish. I forgive you." Mabel squeezes his shoulder. They are heading back to a group room. A bunch of new teenagers have been admitted since the last time they were here.

"You forgive me, huh?" he repeats. She nods, shoves him playfully. He raises an eyebrow. "Ah, well, good to know."

/

"This is very nice of you," the nurse says as she smiles fondly to both of them. Alex just gives her a nod. Mabel however, squeezes his hand, looking very pleased with herself. "So, here's the registration form. You just fill that out and then you will have to attend a course. I'll give you more information when you come back with this."

Alex and Mabel sit down in the waiting room area.

"Seriously, this is a like a lot," Alex says surprised. "Why does it matter if I like to go to the theatre? What if they don't? Or if I do, but so what? Doesn't mean I'll take them all out on a theatre date?"

"Why not?"' Mabel questions.

"Because even though I like it, they might not."

"Alex, I think they'll be glad to come out of here. Even for a bit, even for only a couple of hours. I think they will be happy, so don't you worry. Just tell them about yourself and then we can go. I have to feed Rex."

"Thought your sister was home still?"

Mary, who had gotten to know Alex pretty well since their first meeting, has two weeks with home studying before her mid-semesters exams.

"Yeah, but she doesn't need to bother with Rex. She needs to study."

"Huh," Alex mutters, crossing over a wrong written word. "You're too kind, you know that?"

Mabel only smiles.

Alex hands the paper back to the nurse and gets more instructions. In a couple of weeks, a new course will start, taking up five other who wants to become inters. The course will be held on this floor, sometime around six or seven on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. He will get an e-mail with close information.

While they are driving back home, Alex holds out his hand for Mabel. She takes and he uses his thumb to caress her warm hand.

"You want to go out with me tonight?" he asks her.

"Like a date?" Mabel gasps, faking a surprise expression. Alex nods. He's playing with her.

"Yeah, like a date."

"Yes! Where will we be going? When are you picking me up? Oh, gosh, what should I wear?"

Now Alex starts laughing. He can't keep himself anymore.

"Oh, I don't know. Thought we could head to Miami Beach for a cosy evening. I'd prefer to see you in one of those white dresses you see in the movies. Those beach dresses."

"Hah! And you expect to see me stripping in front of you when I come up from the water too, I guess?"

"It wouldn't hurt," Alex admits sheepishly. "No, really, I was just planning a movie night at home. My mom's out with her girlfriends and stuff so I got the house for myself tonight."

He looks tentatively over at her. The corners in her mouth tugs upward.

"Well…I won't say yes to an evening with you," she states simply. "When should I come?"

"Around seven. I'll cook you some dinner and we can have a movie marathon or something? And, yes, I got the popcorn and that butter you like so much." He winks and squeezes her hand. "I can pick you up if your parents won't drive you."

"Ah, no worries. I'll get Mary to drive me. She doesn't study too much in the evenings. Saying she gets too tired and then she won't remember a thing. Also, she needs to get out of the house. I'm her watch dog for that."

"Interesting," Alex says absently as he parks outside of her house. "See you tonight then?"

Mabel blows him a kiss over her shoulder and smiles sweetly.

"Yeah," she simply says. Then she walks into her house.

* * *

I think this story is coming along now... Got some time to write and finally got some time to actually write it all down. I will post a bit more frequently until this story is completed, which is soon to come actually.  
What do you think so far? Thinking about doing a "part 2" of the story, but still not sure.


	21. Chapter 21

The front door is locked and Alex's brows furrows. He thought his mom was home by now. He plots in the code and the door unlocks itself. _Where's my mom? Did she leave already?_

"Mom? You home?"

No answer. He steps inside and locks the door. He always locks the door when he's home alone. That was something his mom taught him when he was little.

"Then I guess you're gone."

Alex checks the fridge to see if she left a note. She didn't. While preparing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he picks up his phone and tries calling JJ. She answers on the fifth ring.

"Hey, Alex."

She sounds to be a bit of her breath. Is she exercising? On a Saturday?

"Hi, everything okay? Where are you?"

"Oh…Well, I'm fine, yes. Uh, I'm not home right now."

"I know. I am," Alex says, "and you're not. Where are you?"

"Uh… Look, Alex, I'm with someone here right now. We're kinda busy."

Busy? As in…? Ugh! _Please!_

"Oh, please! Mom, stop talking. Don't say a thing. You're out of breath, I can hear it. Just…ugh, no. Fine, I'll see you later. Look, I was just calling to tell you that Mabel's coming over for tonight. We're gonna watch a movie. Please, don't drag whoever you got there back here. And aren't you supposed to be with Emily and Pen?"

"Really? Have fun, you two. You know, considering what I'm doing right now, I will just add that I do _not_ want you two to do whatever you think I'm doing. Uh…okay, and yeah, we're meeting up around six at Pen's place. Hey, Alex? I didn't meant this to happen… So you know."

"Whatever. Mom, this is gross. Just don't ever mention it again please. And next time, just lie and leave a message so I don't have to call you. But if it's Derek, I'll kick his ass."

"It's not him. Uack, how can you think so? He's my colleague and friend."

" _Exactly!_ " Alex explodes.

"Argh, honey, no," JJ says. "Look, it's not him. You don't know who it is. I'll call you back, or…I'll see you soon. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Bye."

Alex hangs up. He looks at the phone and feels the goose bumps crawling on his skin. Then he looks at the sandwich he has in front of him. Now he really isn't that hungry.

Ugh, just the thought of his mom doing someone else… He groans. He doesn't want to think about it. Needing a distraction, he decided to try to eat the sandwich and swallows it down with milk. He goes into the living room, but first he has to open the door. Why is the door closed? Did his mom have someone over last night? Did Pen come over? Sometimes, she has a really tough time, dealing with her parents passing even though it's almost a decade since the tragic even happened. She still blames herself.

On the saloon table, Alex sees an envelope. It's been opened. He picks it up and sees it is actually addressed to him. Furrowing his forehead he takes out the papers. Three handwritten papers, written on both sides, fall out. He turns the envelope to check the return address.

 _A county prison? Who is this? And why didn't I get it? Has mom read it? Obviously mom did read it. Or at least she opened it. Why didn't she give it to me? It's for me, the letter says it's for me. She's hiding it. Why? What's so bad that she didn't give it to me? And did she know about this before it even came? Considering she took it, she must have known about it arriving since I am the one picking up the mail._

The questions fly in Alex's head and he sits down, shuffles the rest of the sandwich in his mouth. He grabs the envelope and the letter and starts to read the pages.

/

"Hey, I'm home. Look, Alex, I'm really sorry for that… You know what I mean. It wasn't… I mean, I don't do this regularly. Really, it was a first in a long time. Not that you should know about that either. Uh… So, please, don't be mad, I was just… You know? It doesn't matter. It happened. And, as you said, I'll never mention it again. Let's try to forget it, shall we?"

No answers. Maybe he's downstairs? JJ goes to the door and opens it.

"Alex? You down here?" she shouts to the empty staircase. He doesn't answer. Now, slowly, her heart beat's rising. Where is Alex? The car is outside. The door was unlocked. He's made himself a sandwich. She can see the used knife.

"I'm in here."

He sounds stiff and when JJ goes to the living room, she sees him standing there. He looks at her. His face is as in stone. The expression isn't humoristic or sarcastic. It's plain shock and disgust.

"Look, it won't happen again. Okay?"

Doing a one-night stand isn't something she typically does. But this guy, he's a veterinarian and works close to the BAU office. He's sweet and kind and always lets her go before him in the line when she's going to buy doughnuts at work. He got this charming smile and they got into talking several times. This is actually not the first time they've been hooking up, but it's the first time anyone else besides the two of them knows about it.

"Alex, what's going on? Is it that bad that I'm dating? Or like… You know, I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself and this isn't really your business. But I'm sorry and it won't happen again. If it does, I won't tell you, okay? I'll lie and say something else unless I'm in a serious relationship."

"Mom, stop! Just stop. It's not about that." Alex cuts her off. He turns, grabs the envelope with the written letters and holds it up, silently accusing her. "When where you going to tell me? Why the hell did you keep this away from me? And is it true? Is my father…is he…a fucking criminal? A thief and a rapist?"

JJ stands there. She's in shock. A thousand thoughts are zigzagging in her head, but none of them makes sense. She can't find words. It's silent in the house as Alex waits for his mom to explain herself.

"It's true then?" His voice breaks and he stomps out of the room, passing her roughly. JJ swears and turns to follow him. Her legs are of jelly. Why didn't she keep the letter away from Alex? How could she forget it this morning? Fuck Lambert and his sexting. It took away all her skills of judgmental efficiency and made her forget the letter. But Alex's right, though. She probably should've shown the letter to him. No, actually she should have told him about William the moment came home with the news of him getting arrested.

But now it's too late. He is already pissed. And hurt. And disappointed. She knows Alex isn't going to stop and listen to her, not after he gave her a chance to talk and she couldn't open her mouth. Now he just needs to cool off. Either way, JJ runs after Alex, pleads him to stop and listen for her to explain.

"Alex, look, I really didn't know before it showed up. I didn't know that much about him. Pen got a call a couple of weeks ago. The sheriff told her that he was going to jail and that he didn't ask for anyone."

"So you thought that was okay then? Let this shit slide under the blanket and forget about it because he didn't ask for me? He didn't have to! He knew all along about me. He's been fucking watching me!" he screams back. Alex got his keys in his hand. Soon he will leave the house and she doesn't know when he'll come back or where he'll go. It's now or never.

"No, I didn't think that. Really, Alex, I thought that I needed something more to give you other than that he was going to prison."

"Why did you want me not to know about this? Did he hurt you or something?" Alex's eyes spark with anger.

JJ shakes her head. No, William never hurt her, not intentionally.

"No, no, he didn't. He was really sweet when I met him. And I just met him once, Alex. I promise, I've never seen him after I told him about me being pregnant. He plainly told me to not ever contact him unless you were dying. He didn't want any contact with me, or you, and I couldn't just change his mind."

"Then why the hell does he wants to meet up with me?" he shouts. "And why didn't you want me to know about this? What did he really do?"

JJ raises her hands, shaking her head. She desperately tries to reason with her son.

"Alex, I didn't wanted you to be with him. I didn't wish for you to contact him. He's a dangerous man, okay? He's been charged with a felony crime. He's not good for you. I just wanted to protect you."

"By lying to me?" He accuses her.

"Yes! Yes, by lying to you. If that was what it would take, then yes! I would lie to you, because I care about you. I love you, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Then you shouldn't have kept this away from me? I can take care of myself, and if I were to meet him, I would've been careful! You're not the one to tell me that I can't see my father, and you're not the one to decide about whom I shouldn't meet up with. As long as it's legal, I'd do something to prevent myself from getting hurt. You know what? The most… The worst with all of this isn't that he's my dad and a criminal and didn't want to fuck around here, but that you also kept him away. Not only now, but then! You're just like…!" It seems like he doesn't have words for what he feels. He yells out and kicks the wall with his foot. Then swirls around and points at her, holding the crunched envelope. "You," he hisses, "this wouldn't have happened if you did just tell me! You should've told me ages ago!"

And with that he strides past his mom, heading for the door. JJ hears the door shuts. She takes a shaking breath before she runs to the kitchen. Seeing her son working up the car out of the driveway makes her heart break.

She sighs. Slumping down in one of kitchen chairs, JJ clutches her hand to her chest and starts crying.

* * *

Next chapter will be up tomorrow.


	22. Chapter 22

"Alex? What's going on? I thought we were meeting up later tonight? And my sister's driving."

Mabel opens the front door. She's surprised to see Alex standing on her doorstep. He looks upset. Has he been crying? His eyes are a bit puffed and red. "Are you okay?" She comes out and gives him a long, tight hug. He just stands there and doesn't move when at body contact.

"My father's a criminal."

"What?"

"I got a letter from him. He's in prison. County jail or something. Charged with an old felony…for sexual assault, and did a car theft."

"But… Oh, Alex… I'm sorry for… I didn't know. Did you know before now?"

Alex shakes his head. He rubs his face with a hand and takes a step back. In his hand is a very crumpled piece of paper.

"I got the letter. Or… Mom hid it from me. She intended do lie to me."

"Oh," is all Mabel says. "Come on in, Alex. Dad's here, but he's not going to kill you or anything."

He walks in and Mabel closes the door behind him. They walk to the staircase and Alex catches a glimpse of her parents. They're in the TV room, watching the six o'clock news.

"Good evening, Mr and Mrs Hastings," Alex says, trying to keep some pride in his voice.

Mrs Hastings cranes her neck in order to see past her husband. She smiles.

"All well?"

"Yes, ma'am. How are you?"

"Ah, you know, same old. I haven't seen you around here in a while. Did Mary scare you off?"

Alex's lips shakes with a small smile.

"No, ma'am, she didn't bug us that much. Just been busy, you know, with practice and school, so I haven't had much time to do much else."

"Other than taking my daughter out on dates." The gruff accusation comes from the leather chair. Mr Hastings still isn't a fan of Alex dating Mabel.

"Yes, sir, you're right about that."

"Hmpf!"

Mrs Hastings sighs. She rolls her eyes before taking remote and shuts off the TV.

"Stop being an ass," she demands casually. "Or you're not watching TV for the rest of the week. Which means you will be missing out on the Yankees playing against Blue Jays."

"And what makes you so sure that I won't see the game at Jason's?"

"Because I will call Mrs Lancaster and I tell her that neither you or he can watch the game, and you know she listen to me."

Mrs Hastings raises an eyebrow at Mr Hastings. He smoulders and pouts.

"Uh," he coughs, standing up. He looks over at his wife who nods, giving him a pointed look and he sighs, giving up. "I… was… I want to talk to you, Alexander."

Alex looks at Mr Hastings. This is the first time Mr Hastings has actually interacted with him since the first time they met. That was when Mabel and he told Mr Hastings that they were dating. Realising Mabel's hand – thinking her father would not approve the sight of it – Alex walks longer into the house with Mabel right behind him.

"Yes, sir?"

It's very important to say sir in these kinds of situations.

"I want to tell you, that even if I don't like this…" Mr Hastings gestures to his daughter and him, "it's nothing I can do about it without acting cruel. Though you're young and unexperienced, I hope, I think that my daughter deserve the absolute best from you. You have to try to be whatever she needs you to be. And I want to know that she's safe and happy with you, which so far it seems she is. That I am grateful for." Then he just gives Alex a pat on his shoulder before turning and retreating to his chair. He stares at his wife. She shakes her head, like if she got water in her ear, and looks from Alex and Mabel to her husband. Then she shrugs. She points with the remote on the TV and it flashes on.

In the small foyer, Mabel is impressed by her mom's skills and smiles. Finally her dad accepts the news. Finally he can start to maybe even appreciate Alex?

"Wow," she hears Alex whispers. They are taking the stairs up to her room. She giggles.

"I know. That was strange. But now he's starting to finally accepting this… You know, us two."

"And that I can't complain of. At least your mom's nice enough the force him to try to make amends with me. That was kind of funny to see. She's headstrong, your mom."

"She is," Mabel agrees. "Hey, Alex, can I see the letter?"

He hands it to her and she carefully opens the envelope. Her eyes dart from left to right in an impeccable speed as she reads the long, yet shortly told letter. An eyebrow bobs up and down sometimes in either shock or disbelief. After seven long minutes, she looks up at her boyfriend and smile sympathetically. Though the letter was very clear and easy written, it just gave so many questions and hard feelings, regarding JJ and how she has been acting through the past years. She can't imagine how Alex must be feeling. Instead of trying to excuse JJ or come up with her own suggestion of why this is happening, Mabel lies down beside Alex in her bed, laying her head on his chest and listens to his heart beat. It goes steady. It's in a way very soothing to listen to his heart.

"What do you think?" Alex asks finally.

"I don't know. I don't know what to say about all of this, other than I think this must suck for you and for JJ. This wasn't what she wanted and I do believe she intended to keep you safe because you're her son and she loves you. Even though she might have done that part wrong, by not telling you and was willing to lie a lot, she was going to do all of it anyways. JJ's not cruel, you know your mom will always look out for you. Even when you're out of college and when you move away or get a job and stuff. It doesn't matter if you're sixteen or seventeen or fourth, Alex. I know that you'll say that you can take care of yourself. Of course you can, we all know that, she knows that too, but she's your _mom_. She will always be there for you."

"So you're taking her side?"

"There's not sides. There's just facts. And this time, the facts are that you're angry because she was willing to lie to you, which I completely understand why it hurts, but I also understand why your mom would do such thing. Second," she catches her breath, trying to speak fast enough so he can't interrupt, "you're hurt because that fantasy you had about your dad is shattered. I believe you always thought he was an important man or something like that, and that could've been the case, but unfortunately, it's not. And you can't accept it. The father you have is right now serving time. You hate it, of course you do."

"He's a fucking criminal!" Alex shouts out. He arches up in the bed. Mabel follows his move and waits for him to continue. "You know what he did? He raped three women in a hospital he was working at as a janitor! He tried to steal the car to the mayor's brother over there. And I don't know what the hell else he's been doing. At least I know he's been watching me."

"And this wasn't the father you hoped for."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"No! Of course not. I don't want to have a freaking serial rapist for a father. That's wrong and I hate the fact that he's my dad! Because that means he was with my mom. And she's an agent, a federal freaking agent."

Mabel places her hand on Alex's chest, trying to calm him down. If he starts shouting too much and her parents hear him, they'll come busting in here, demanding him to leave, and right now as her dad's swallowing her pride, trying to accept Alex, it won't help much if he sees Alex behaving like this; he'll try very hard to keep her away from him, stating Alex's unstable and not good for her.

"Dad won't like it if you yell so much."

"Sorry," he croaks out, lowering his voice. "I just wished for things to be different. Especially with mom. She's just…fleeing and thinks I shouldn't know something about this. This is important!" he raves on. "And that she is willing to lie about _this!_ It makes me…so pissed."

"And disappointed. You never thought your mom would lie to you, right?"

"No, yes… I mean, no, I knew she would, but then it would be like a white lie, you know? Something that I actually don't need to know about, or something that is illegal to talk about. Like her job. She can't tell me about active cases and shouldn't even discuss other cases when they're solved either. They're federal cases, state secrets almost."

"I see."

The silence hovers over them. Alex doesn't say a word and soon Mabel can hear his breath slow done. Now as he's not so aggravated anymore, she rolls over and looks at him. Playing with his fingers she tries to silently comfort him.

"We can have our date here," she suggests.

"No, absolutely not," he says. "I said I wanted you to come over to my house and hang out, like couples do. Besides, I doubt your father will be happy to hear that idea of yours."

Mabel laughs.

"Oh, well," she says, playfully winking at him, "I think you might be right. Okay, but what about your mom? Do you want to see her so soon?"

A dark cloud shades over Alex's eyes.

"Nope. But she'll be gone. I know it. She knows I got plans and besides, she has her own plans: she's going out with Pen and Emily."

"Do you really think she'll be in mood for that? What if she's still home waiting for you to come back?"

"Well, she better not be home when I come home." Quickly his body scoots up. "Turn off your cell phone," he says.

"What?"

"Turn it off," he commands. He grabs his own phone and turns if off. "Then mom can't track me down and send a whole FBI squad in here. They'll totally bust the door. Like they do in movies, you know."

He reaches for her cell phone that is lying on her desk.

"Hey, wait! If your mom did try to trace you, that would mean she's worried and doesn't know where you are. You can't make her even more distressed, Alex."

He looks weirdly at her.

"The hell I can. She can't just go on and trace people down without a reason either. Like a real reason. If I murdered someone or did something illegal or were a suspect of a crime. It's not like she can use Pen to track me down whenever she wants. That's breaking a state law."

"But she'll worry about you!" Mabel insists, wresting her Samsung from Alex's hands. "At least, let me text her and tell her you're here. And that we're coming to you and that you don't want here to be there. Please?"

With gritted teeth Alex looks away. He loosens his jaw when Mabel touches his back. His eyes find hers. Ocean green eyes piercing light blue eyes. She doesn't blink.

"Okay," he finally sighs, raising his hands in the air as if he's giving up. "But then you'll turn it off. I don't want Pen to even try to trace us down while they're out."


	23. Chapter 23

_He's here with me and we're coming back, but he doesn't want to talk right now. Are you going out with Garcia and Prentiss?_

\- _Mabel_

JJ sighs and closes her eyes. She's relieved. Until now, she's been driving around the neighbourhood, looking for her son. Though she thought he was with her, she checked and the car wasn't outside of the Hastings house. That made her worry even more and she drove the high school, checked the lacrosse field, she went to Kowalski's house and even to the Hunts, then the library, the hospital where he sometimes works at, and finally the BAU's office, which all were empty. She was trying to find Penelope. If she could just track them down by searching for his cell phone signals… Though she knows it's wrong to have Penelope do it, she just had to know.

But now she does know. He's with Mabel. Of course he's with her. And they're coming back and he doesn't want to see her right now. He doesn't want to see his own mom. While she's been driving, tears have flowed from her eyes. She called Emily, informing the older agent about the situation. She had her husband on baby watch and drove out too. Emily passed her for only three minutes ago. She has to call Emily. And to thank her.

"Emily, he's with Mabel. They're going back home. He doesn't want to talk to me. Mabel sent me the text."

"JJ, I'm sorry. But it's good that he's safe. And isn't driving. The way you described it, I think that in that state of mind he was in when he left, driving would be dangerous. He's not thinking clearly. What do you want to do now?"

"I… I can't go back right now. I have to… I don't know when they're coming."

"I've called Penelope. We're having a girls' night at her instead, if you're up for it. Come by place and I'll loan you some clothes. I think we're pretty much the same size. Do you want to go out tonight? We're just going to Penelope, but you know, she might drag us out later tonight."

"Uh, no… I don't want to go out. But a girls' night sounds great. It'll put my mind on other things, maybe I'll ease up a bit. Alex's safe. He's coming home, he's not out on the streets."

"Okay. Where are you? I'm almost home now."

JJ looks around her, checking the signs.

"I'm on the highway, close to the hospital. Okay, I'm driving to you now."

"Great, I'll see you in fifteen minutes."

They hang up. JJ sighs and sniffs and leaves the highway. She can worry all she can about Alex, but after all, he's not going to something incredible stupid. For now, she will just have to wait and see if Alex can forgive her. Or at least listen to her, to let her explain everything. That will take some time, if she knows her son. Alex has it with being mad for a long time if something really bad happens. Like when someone hurt or betrayed him, or he's just plain mad for something. He doesn't argue until he's completely fuelled up with anger or sadness, or both. But at least, he has never tried to revenge someone. He isn't the type that will hit someone back unless the other one wants to punch the gut out of him. But he doesn't get into fights even though he'd probably win. With his height and good coordination and strength after playing lacrosse for so many years, he stands a good chance in fights. To be fair, it has only happened once where JJ knows Alex has gotten into a fight, but to his defence, he was defending another student who got bullied multiple times. Only two weeks earlier it had been called to a meeting with all the parents because the school didn't know what else to do with the bullies who were in Alex's class.

Basically, three guys where picking on one of the guys from the choir, telling him he was fat and unworthy and ugly. That he should just shoot himself. This was the normal bullying, and the teacher didn't seem to really stop it, so it just went on for years. Alex sometimes came home and told JJ about this. But one day, in seventh grade, Alex witnessed the three bullies trying to hide the boy's clothes after a P.E class. He told them not to and to just let this go, and when it didn't work and the boy came back after showering, he got pushed around whilst trying to get his clothes and it was then Alex pushed the one who held the clothes. The boy fell down and Alex just grabbed the clothes and gave them back. The bullies didn't like that so they were trying to attack both Alex and the other boy. It ended up with a black eye, a heavily bruised face and even a cut on the arm when Alex tackled one of the bullies down so he fell on the slippery floor. Alex himself got out if all only with a swollen hand. Though he got detention for a month, JJ didn't even yell at Alex. She just told him that even if she knew he was trying to help and do the right thing, the outcome wasn't good and that Alex should never ever hit someone like that unless they're hitting him first. And he said 'Okay, mom. But at least now none of them are picking on Alan.' With that, he smiled the rest of the month with detention.

* * *

Next chapter will be up tomorrow!


	24. Chapter 24

"Hey, come on in. You okay, JJ?"

Emily had just gotten her car in the garage and closed it when she heard another car pull up in their driveway. JJ's car lights shut off and JJ herself came out of the car. She look liked she had been crying. Understandable enough. Emily couldn't even bear to think how she would feel if one of her kids disappeared.

JJ shakes her head, but tries to give her friend a little smile.

"Are the twins inside?"

"Yeah, they are. I think they're soon going to bed though, but I guess they want to say hi to you before they have to go. You want to see them?"

"Yes. How do I look?" JJ waves a hand in front of her face, gesturing to her eyes.

"You look like you've been crying. JJ, please, don't worry. We know Alex's safe and he's fine, and the only thing you have to think about now, is how to talk to him when _he_ is ready. So take a breath. You can shower if you want and I'll get you some clothes too."

Emily walks in first and ushers her friend to the bathroom. Her husband comes out from the kids' room. He probably tried to put them early into bed seeing that they are going to want to watch TV tomorrow. Very early. It's a program that they really like that goes around seven in the morning. Which is way too early for Emily, meaning her husband Jonas will have to help them with the TV.

"Did you find him?" he asks worriedly.

She shakes her head. He looks sad.

"So… What now?"

"JJ got a text from his girlfriend. They're on their way to JJ's house now, but he doesn't want to talk her right now. Not yet. So she's coming along with me to Penelope. We're going to try to get her in a better mood. How are the kids? They're not sleeping yet, are they?"

"No," he replies. "Not yet, but I got them into their PJs. Actually, they're just waiting for you to kiss them goodnight."

"Okay."

Emily nods and takes out two cups, filling them with water. She takes one of them and drinks the water before refilling it. While walking to the twins' bedroom, she drinks a bit more water.

"JJ? I got you some water. It's on the kitchen counter if you'd like some," she says when she passes the bathroom door. JJ doesn't answer. Emily stops. She can't hear anyone in the bathroom. Is JJ okay? Is she crying in the bathroom, trying to be silent?

"JJ, are you here? Will you going to tell us a story?"

Emily breathes relieved out. JJ's been spotted by the twins. And now she's under attack. She better go and rescue JJ out from the two devilish kids of her. They two can make any adult to do whatever they want to. They are far too cute for anyone to deny their wishes.

"Hey, you guys. Yeah, I guess I can tell you a story. Are you going to bed now?"

"Yes, they are," Emily answers for them. JJ looks up at Emily who leans against the doorframe, smiling. "But a quick story won't do any harm. Don't keep JJ trapped for too long, kids," she adds to the twins. They look at their mom before looking at JJ and then at each other. Both are grinning as two small cats with feathers in their mouth. "I mean it," their mom says sternly upon seeing their facial expressions.

"Or else?"

"Or else? Really, you wanna test me tonight, huh? Well, if you're not treating JJ good, I will not let you have any cookies next Friday when we're going out for dinner. And trust me, I will remember this, and so will dad."

Both twins look shocked. Emily smiles and blows them both a kiss before she goes into the living room where Jonas is. He sits on the couch and reads a file. Just like she does sometimes.

"They're going to exhaust JJ out," Jonas says quietly, like he just read her mind. Emily chuckles. She knows.

"Come here," Jonas pleads, opening his arms and she crawls closer to him and he puts an arm around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head.

"What are you reading?" she asks him.

"Just some work stuff," is his answer. "I might have to go on a trip in two weeks, Em. Just to West-Virginia. I'll be there for just a couple of days. Are you free then or do we need to hire a sitter?"

"I don't know yet. You know how our job is, it's very hard to tell if I can get some days off already now. If we don't get a case, then I guess I can stay here. But just to be sure, we should call Michele. And maybe Alex and Mabel want to sit for a night. Alex asked me once if they could. Said it's been too long since he last spent time with them."

"Okay. Well, if you could check with Hotchner about getting maybe one day off, that would be great."

"Mhm," she murmurs.

It's silent for a couple of minutes. Jonas and Emily can hear the twins are laughing of whatever story JJ's telling them. Or maybe she's just teasing them?

"How's Jennifer?" Jason suddenly asks.

"She's…quite upset I think. She didn't want Alexa to know anything about his father. And now he's really angry with her. JJ told me that he rarely gets mad with anyone, but when it happens, it can take days until he actually wants to talk or listen. JJ's very…afraid that things won't be as it was before."

Jason hugs Emily tighter.

"I hope this won't be us in a few years," she whispers into his neck. "Because just seeing how stressed and distraught JJ is, makes me want to keep our kids in a tow for ever."

"Ah, no. Of course not, Em. We're not going to have any of our kids running out of our house without us knowing where they're going. Don't think like that, honey. I'm sure Alex just needs time and so does Jennifer. And by Thursday I bet they're talking to each other again."

* * *

We are beginning on the end of this story, although I am not sure of how many chapters there are left to be uploaded or when.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N**

I've re-read some of my posted chapters and realise that there are LOTS of errors, but also I switch between writing British and American English. At our school, we learn British English, but due to so many hours (or even months) I've spent watching American TV-series and movies, I quickly swtich between words and how I built up the sentence structure

This story takes place in the U.S, and all the people in the story are Americans, unless it says different.


	26. Chapter 26

It's Monday morning. JJ and Alex are still not talking to each other. Correction, Alex isn't interested in hearing anything JJ tries to say, and she knows that the harder she tries to speak with him, the more reluctant will he be towards her. Therefore  
she acts patient, waiting for him to finally come to her so they can talk.

When she came home around two in the morning that weekend, after have been out with her girlfriends, she checked if his car still was in the garage. It was. And Mabel's shoes were still there. So when JJ woke up around ten-thirty, she could hear them  
both and she smelled food.

Knowing that Alex knows how to cook a decent dish without burning the house down, she turned and dozed off a couple of more minutes before she jumped in the shower. Feeling much better with wet hair and in her PJ's, JJ had ended up watching TV and eating  
some leftover pizza. Both Alex and Mabel were downstairs. And when Mabel left around two, she just had a brief conversation.

"He's still mad with me, isn't he?"

"Yeah. But he's more disappointed and hurt. And I think he's confused too. Because I got him to see it all from another perspective, like yours, and he understood your reasons for not telling him, but I guess it still hurts that you did intended to lie  
and stuff. But hey, don't worry so much. I'm sure he'll come around, but not today. Maybe not tomorrow either, but this someday this week he will want to talk to you."

"Thank you, Mabel. Did you have a great time, though?"

"Uh, yeah. We ate and watched some movies before we just fell asleep."

"And now?"

"Now we just talked and he helped me with some homework. Or like, to understand some algebra equations, I really suck in math. And then I read his bio paper. Nothing more happened really."

She sounds casual and smiles wearily. JJ knows her son isn't fooling around with Mabel. At least not in a sexual way. But what they do when she's gone or in the evenings, she has no idea and she doesn't want to know either. She trusts Alex to be a gentleman  
and to not pressure Mabel. And she knows their relationship is quite serious. Mabel is also a sweet girl, but tough and she won't accept any bullshit.

"Okay. I hope I'll see you around soon. Take care, Mabel."

"You too, Jennifer. Bye."

And then she was gone. The whole day went on without JJ seeing Alex. Barely nearing him too, because he didn't play music or came upstairs. He was just in his room and he washed some clothes, she could hear the machine go. And when the dinner was ready  
and she tramped three times on the floor with her foot, signalising it was food, he didn't show up. It ended up with her eating alone and she prepared leftovers for Alex to eat if he did come.

Not wanting to cry or think too much about her situation, JJ found a pile of case files and she started reading them until she fell asleep on the couch. She woke up around four in the morning, very disorientated. The case files were stocked in a pile  
on the table, the lights were off and she had two blankets that covered her body. So Alex did come up. Had he eaten? But she didn't want to check it out and went straight to bed, sleeping until her alarm went off.

That was her Sunday. And now, she's driving to the BAU's building. Today she couldn't hear Alex at all and figured he'd left early. When she woke up, she could see that he had eaten the leftovers as breakfast, and he'd hopefully made some lunch.

While waiting for the lift, JJ sends a text message to Alex.

 _Hey. Look, I know you're still mad, but please, don't ignore me when I'm talking to you. I won't say a word about him or anything, but I want us to talk about something else when I come home today._

\- _Mom_

Knowing that he won't reply at an instant, JJ puts her phone on silent mode and steps out of the lift. Both Penelope and Emily are hanging around in the bullpen, at Emily's desk, waiting for her to show up. They immediately usher to her, but she raises  
a hand and shakes her head, stopping the question flow before it even starts.

"JJ, how are you? How's Alex? Have you been talking to him?" Penelope touches JJ's shoulder and tries to comfort her friend.

"I'm fine, Pen. Really, I'm better now. I know where he is and no, we're not talking. He's still mad and he's not going to want to talk with me for a little while. But don't worry, Pen, we're doing fine. This happens, you know. He's a teenager."

JJ tries to convince herself too.

"Look, I can have his phone tracked," Penelope offers.

"No, don't do that. First, it's illegal, and second, I don't know how I will feel if you do it. And I actually think he's been thinking of the same thing because he has his phone on offlinemodus, according to Mabel."

"Has Mabel been at your house?" Emily asks. They sit down, JJ borrowing Spencer's chair and Penelope taking Emily's as she leans against her own desk.

"Yeah, but she left on Sunday."

"Did she say anything?"

JJ shakes her head.

"No. Or, she just told me what I already know."

Seeing her friend so sad hurts Penelope and she jumps up.

"Oh, JJ. I'm so sorry. Tell me how I can fix this? I mean, what can I do?"

"Thanks, Pen, but I really don't think there's anything you can do. Not right now, at least."

But Penelope isn't the one to take a no for an answer.

"Yeah, but there must be _something_ I can do. I'm his godmother. I graduated from M.I.T! I hacked the FBI and I'm technically the only technical analyst goddess there is in the state!"

Emily squeezes Penelope's arm.

"It's not," she says. "Now we just have to wait. But JJ," Emily adds and turns her attention to her, "tell us if there's anything you need. Okay? Like company or advice or anything."

JJ forces a smile to take form on her lips. She nods once.

"Yes. I will. Thank you both. I really appreciate this. Now," she stands up, "we have a serial killer to catch."

She nods towards Hotch who's walking hastily to his office. It's time to work.


	27. Chapter 27

"I hope everyone have had a great weekend." Agent Hotchner sits down. He's dressed in his usual dark suit and a tie. Some people respond to it, but most of them are just anxious and excited, thought they'd never admit it, for the next case. Hotch looks  
at Penelope. "Garcia, you ready to present?"

Since JJ is nowbecoming a profiler too, already having over half a decade with experience within the FBI, Garcia will take over her job as the media liaison for the team, but while they're traveling it'll be JJ who still takes care of the press  
there and then.

"Yes, sir." Garcia holds the remote and clicks several times. On the wall, four images fly up, and they all stare at them. JJ feels the goose bumps crawling.

"In the last six weeks, three young men and one woman were found dead in the almost the same alley. They're all in their early twenties, they're all students in the same year, but they didn't study together nor did they study the same subject. Alan Peterson  
and his roommate David Lawrence were the first victims to be found."

More images pops up as the four others disappear. It's images of Alan and David. Or their lifeless bodies with blood all over them.

"They were both killed the exact same way," JJ notices. "Cutting their throat. Bled out instantly, I guess. Where they attacked from behind or something?" she asks her friend.

"Yes, both were knocked unconscious with something the M.E. believes is an aluminium bat in their head."

"So the Unsub hides, sneaks up from their behind and hit them," Morgan starts speaking, trying to get everyone to see his replica of what could've happened. "If he's alone he needs a getaway car. So it's parked closed."

"It can't be a car that is too fancy, nor too big. Say a station wagon," Spencer adds. "They all lived, studied and were found in a busy city. The people in Lincoln would notice if a suspicious car were parked close to a house or a student collective."

"True. So say a black or blue station wagon," Prentiss comments seriously. "He takes them to the car, drives away."

"His place can't be too far away. Alan and David could've easily handler it ifthere was only one Unsub. They were both playing football. Both were strong," Hotch says. He looks through the file too. Rossi coughs to get everyone's attention.

"Also, though the place's close, it has to be in a closed area or empty area. Then the Unsub's victims wouldn't be able to hide, and he would have full control over his victims."

Spencer looks up from the file he has. He's the only one who has gotten the case file in paper, because they all know he, despite being the brightest of them all, dislikes technology. Not the benefits of it or the negative consequences by misusing it,  
but just the whole concept of technology makes him shudder.

"Garcia, how about Laila Carling and Oliver Marshall?" he asks.

"Oh, yeah, they were found two different allies, only four blocks away from where Alan and David where found. But here the Unsub strangled Oliver and cut Laila's wrist to let her bleed out. According to the M.E's rapport, she was also sexually assaulted,  
probably being choked while it happened."

One of the images shows the woman up close.

"Can you zoom in on her face?" JJ asks. She leans forward, searching with her eyes for something. She can't just put her finger on what it is when Spencer exclaims in a neutral voice:

"Her left eye is hazel brown and her other's green."

JJ exhales and nods. The boy genius continues.

"It's a rare phenomenon called heterochromia iridum and only 1% of the whole population got it. Garcia, did the other also have heterochromia iridum?"

"Uh…uh-uh?" Garcia squints, trying to see if they do had heterochromia iridum on the images.

"Okay, we'll debrief more on the plane. Let's go. Wheel's up in twenty." Hotch stands up and gathers his phone. He's going to call the pilot to tell them they're on their way.

/

Well on the jet, the team's debriefing more, sitting close to each other.

"Only one of the murdered victims had two different eye colours," Morgan starts, "so that is either a very rare coincidence or a sign. Maybe the Unsub's starting on a new pattern?"

"Then he's a very few victims at his hands," JJ comments, "seeing that's only 1 percent of the whole world's population that has the same thing."

"There must be something we're missing. Either the killer's choosing his victims randomly, which I hardly believe, or he's picking them out," Morgan agrees.

"What signs are there that we're missing?" Prentiss asks the question they're all wondering of, looking at the boy genius.

Spencer clears his throat and turns his file around so they can all see what he's been reading.

"See here? They've all had a record. Peterson and Marshall were both stopped by the police driving too fast _and_ for smuggling. Marshall even had to visit the court where he was sentenced to community service while Peterson got a year after fighting  
the police. They were also in the same gang. Lance had an obviously troubled past and were sent to a youth criminal institution for six months after doing a car theft."

"And Laila Carling…she got two months behind bars after shoplifting," Hotch says, looking in his copy. "So they were all ex-criminals, but they were doing fine. We have to talk with potential witnesses, dorm mates and family. Maybe they were lurking their  
way back to old ways?"

He pauses, closing the file.

"Reid, I want you to stay with JJ to map out all the geographical areas we need to cover. Rossi and Prentiss, you two can go to the campus. I'll have Garcia call them to let them know we're on our way working with the local PD. Morgan, check if you can  
get anything out of the families, we'll take two each."

They all nod and spread out to think more about the case they've gotten, trying to make up different scenarios to support their own theories while checking the available facts. Some might support the theory whilst other won't.

* * *

Now we're down to only a few chapters left!


	28. Chapter 28

"And when you come back here, I want all everyone's project here on my desk, labelled with name and date of when you started."

Their biology teacher, Mr Hudson, yells from his desk so they can all hear him over the school bell that signalises the end of Monday. Or the end of this school day. Finally! Alex jumps up. He already packed two minutes before the bell went off, knowing that he couldn't concentrate anymore. Also, he did finish the tasks they had to do during the class so technically Mr Hudson couldn't say anything. Hovering at his locker while he waits for Matt to come from his European History class, Alex checks his phone. At their school, they have a strict no-phone policy during class. Some teachers will even confiscate a phone if they see it on the desk. So he's not going to lose his phone and wait the whole day to get it back, Alex usually has it locked in his locker. Now he can see two texts messages from his mom. The first one pleads for them to talk and the second one says that she has to go away to Lincoln city and that they will talk when she comes home, whenever that is. What they will talk about she doesn't tell him, but Alex guesses it's about the recent discovery he did. And how he reacted…

"Hey! You ready, bro?"

Matt's hand hits Alex's shoulder as he suddenly appears on his right side.

"Jeez, man, you scared the shit out of me. And yeah, of course I'm ready. Let's go."

They walk together to the locker rooms in the gym. Today they're going to have practice before he can drive back home.

Coach Damon is frenetic. He really wants his team to win the next and final game. They could become regional champions. They would be the first team to ever archive that title since the late 80's! They are all taking this practice real serious, which makes their coach happy and he even lets them go five minutes before practice's over.

"Dude, you're acting real weird today. Why didn't you just feint the keeper or threw the ball to me? I was open? And you didn't even say hi to Alison."

"Sorry, mate. I'm tired, that's all."

"Oh yeah?" Matt gets a glimpse in his eyes. "Why? You and Mabel been hooking up lately?"

As answer, Matt gets a hard slap on his shoulder.

"Shut up," he warns his friend. "None of your business. I'm not asking about you and Alison, am I?"

"But you don't want to know the answer either," Matt lets out a belly laugh.

 _Well, that's true. Why do you think so? Besides, you and Alison have been together way longer than Mabel and I._

"What you gonna do tonight? Wanna play online?"

"Ah, I don't know. I have to study and shit… Got work to do, you know. Don't you ever get homework?"

"Of course we do. But who says I'll do them?" A devilish grin spreads across Matt's face.

Alex rolls his eyes at Matt. Of course. Though Matt's a fast learner, he doesn't use that advantage in school, or ever, ending up him having C's and some D's. The only thing he ever gets A's or B's in, are P.E, English and French. The only reason he knows so much French is because of his grandparents who live only a block away from him. It's his second mother tongue as he claims it. But those three A's are enough to let him play on the lacrosse team.

"Whatever. I'm heading home, bro. See ya tomorrow."

Well home, Alex finds a note from his mom. He sighs, but read it before crumpling it together throwing it in the trashcan. It just says how sorry she is and that she wants to talk to him. As he doesn't know that! The thing isn't that she's sorry and wants to explain herself, Alex already have a suss about what his mom is going to say, but the fact that it's all true: who is father is and what he's done, and that he might be a product of rape.

/

It's Wednesday. The clock's ticking slowly, as if to only provoke Alex who has to leave to pick up Mabel from her new job: assisting the local veterinarian clinic by the riverside. Also, after having dropped her off by her house, he's instructed to come to the BAU in Quantico.

"Jareau, stay here. We need to talk."

Mentally groaning, Alex only nods and barely looks at Mrs. Lewis yells just as the last ring from the bell is to be heard. The two of them wait until the room is deserted and then Mrs. Lewis stands up and walks up to Alex's desk. Mr. Lewis the school's 'Behaviour and Educational director' meaning he's a pain in the ass if you're about to meet the principal.

"Alexander," Mrs. Lewis says which surprises Alex because he's never heard his first name from a teacher's mouth. "Are you okay? I've seen you've been very distraught and irritable lately. Has something happened with your mom?"

They all know that Alex's mom works within the FBI as an agent. That was cool to say until Alex turned ten years old.

"I'm fine, ma'am. Why would you think otherwise?" He tries to show her some of his charm.

"Your grades going in a downwards spiral, including match, chemistry and English, all your AP classes to be exact. You know this isn't good if you want to continue in those classes. I can't have demotivated students to ruin these classes. Also, I'm married to the school's Behaviour director. I know there are reasons for peoples' mood changes. Now, would you like to tell me?"  
"No, ma'am. I would not. It's private and something I would never discuss with others than my family or my closest friends. Frankly, Mrs. Lewis, you're not in any of those categories. Besides," he stands up, "everyone's got some problems, some people increase certain grades, some people decrease them, others can do both. Why you're focusing on me?"

He has his backpack in his hand, ready to leave.

"Because your mom sent the school an e-mail. She's concerned too."  
"She's not concerned too," Alex says, feeling himself getting irritated. Just as with the goddamn clock. "She's just worried, but she knows everything. If she tells you guys she's worried _too_ about me, then you can delete that e-mail, because she's the reason she's worried. And now I have to go, ma'am, I have to pick up my girlfriend and head to Quantico. Good bye, Mrs. Lewis."

On his way out of the school building, Alex picks up his phone and calls Mabel. He saw she has called him three times and also sent him a text message.

"Hey, I'm on my way. I'm sorry, I got occupied after school, but I'm heading for the car in this very moment. You're still at the clinic?"

"Alex, it's fine. I'm not in need to get picked up right away."

"You're not?" Alex moves his hand so the phone is pressed between his ear and shoulder as he tries to open his car. "You have to take a double shift or something?"

"Yep, but it's fine. It's only to six, so I'm taking the bus or my mom can come and get me because she's done around that time. But thanks, Alex. I hope I didn't stress you with the calling."

"Nope," Alex states as he turns on the engine, "I'm good. Okay, then I'll be in Quantico so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yep, good. Call you tonight?"

"Sure you can. Around ten?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Okay, I gotta go. Good bye, drive safely."

"Thanks, bye."

Fifteen minutes later, Alex parks his car on the guest parking outside of the FBI headquarters and takes the elevator to the BAU's floor. Before joining Penelope in her office, he finds a mug and pours himself some coffee with lots of sugar and cream.

"Is this the fairy godmother?" he asks.

Penelope Garcia jumps in the air with a scream. She turns her chair around and smiles brightly upon seeing who talked. Screaming in joy, Penelope flies up and lunges forward to hug her favourite, and only, godson.

"Oh, you're getting so tall! Just like my favourite chocolate hunk: both of you are tall, handsome and strong! I mean, just look at these. Have you been working out?"

Penelope squeezes on Alex's biceps. He just laughs out.

"Nope, nothing out of the ordinary. We're doing laps tomorrow I think, before the big game's on. Are you coming?"

"Am I coming? Are you seriously asking me that? Of course I'll come! Where is it? When is it? I'm going to talk the rest of the team into coming too. Maybe Hotch will take Hayley and Jack with him?"  
"It's not decided yet, but if I guess it will be an away match."

"Really? Oh, this is so exciting. You're going to be a lacrosse star player!" Penelope gushes, "but come on in here. Sit down. You want to learn how to hack Facebook?"

"No thanks," Alex smiles shyly, "I kind of know it already."

"What? Who taught you that? And why?"

"I did, just because I wanted to know."

"Oh well." She looks conflicted. "Did it work?"

Alex grins.

"Yeah. It did. Now…why did I have to come in here again? I thought we had a deal? When my mom's out of town, I'll call you and text you, and if there will more than five days where she's gone, and you're still here: you're going to come by if you got time. Pen, it's only been three days."

Penelope kills every screen and turns on the lights with a few quick types on a panel bolted to her desk.

"I'm worried about you."

"Not you too!" Alex can't help groaning. "You guys gotta stop that. Look, I'm sixteen, I've got into an argument with my mom which is perfectly normal for a teenager!"

"Not disagreeing," she says, lifting her index finger in the air, " _but_ as your fairy godmother, it's my _duty_ to spoil you and to worry about you in ways JJ can't. Honey, I understand it's hard that your father…"

"Don't talk about him," Alex snaps. "Don't tell me he my father. Unless he had a real connection with my mom that night… It could've been a rape, you know that, right? My mom…when she was in school… I might me a result of a sexual assault and that doesn't give that sperm donor the right to be called my father."

"Okay, okay. I see that. Alex, look, if you want to, I can tell you how they met that night and I can also assure you that it wasn't a sexual assault. Your mom…they both did it all voluntary, even though they weren't completely sober. But your mom, she remembers it, and I bet _he_ does too. You're not a product of rape, and you're highly loved by your mom and all of us."

It takes a couple of minutes before Alex says anything.

"Then why did he turn out to be one? Did he always have it in him? And after doing my mom, he felt like 'oh, you know what? This wasn't fun at all. I'm going to have to change my attitude'?"

"You know I can't answer you on that. I'm not a profiler, and even the best of them can't fully understand anyone, not even themselves. But it's not genetic. You are _not_ a rapist, Alex."

"You can't know that!" Alex sits up. "I might be. Or I might turn out to be one later. It's already in the family."

"As I said, it's not genetic…"

"But it's a trait!"

"No, it's not! Absolutely not. You know…some people got traits after living with others that have gifted them those traits. It's because of the environment and not the DNA. You've never been exposed to that kind of environment where harassing others or hurting them, is okay."

"I see all of you…" he points directly at Penelope, "work so hard to catch people who have done something wrong, and some of them can't help it. As Hotch says: some people who come from a bad home grow up to be the bad guy, whilst others grow up to catch them. But then I'd like to input that it's not certain that either of those things happen. Most of the felonies you find in an ordinary prison have parents who, no matter of their income or social status, never been involved in a serious crime other than breaking the speed limit. I might become one of those you're all chasing."

"How so?" Penelope challenges her godson. "I see you as a wonderful young man, Alex, who happens to have a biological father who's done something extremely terrifying things which were not only illegal, but horrible ethical wrong. You're not him, okay?"

"You don't know that yet. I bet my mom didn't know how William would turn out in later years, and here we are… I got a letter from him which she kept from me. It was an accident that I saw it. She intended to lie for me if I ever asked, not only about my father, but that she ever knew him at all. Which she obviously did seeing that they saw each other after that night, and that after that weekend, they didn't stay in touch until she _texted_ him and told him about me. And he just said okay."

"I know you're angry with your mom and with the fact that she intended to lie to you, it must hurt you. I would've be very disappointed if I were in the same situation. But you if you try seeing it all from her point of view…"

"I know," Alex cuts her off, sounding harsh. It's so unlike him. He stands up. "I know that she just wanted to protect me from him, that she thought I would be better off I didn't know anything about him or what he's done. But you know what? This includes the both of us, and especially me! He came to see me, but he never approached me because he knew I wouldn't recognise him and my mom wouldn't like it one bit. Which is kind of okay, seeing what he's been doing since mom last saw him. But it's not all up to her. Not anymore. I'm not six, I'm sixteen! I deserve to be informed about such important matters."

His voice has increased for every sentence: he's yelling now.

"Okay, okay." Penelope nervously stands up. She's not a fan of people yelling, even though when it's not at her. It makes her nervous. Especially after the shooting incident she had when she went out on a date and ended up being shot. She almost died on the operation table.

"Sorry," Alex mumbles. Accepting Penelope's gently touch, he sighs and rubs his face with a hand. "Can't she just be honest with me and tell me her thoughts, or like, her reasons for not wanting me to know?"

"That would be kind of hard seeing she didn't want you to know anything."

"Argh, I know, but still! At least she could've tried to explain it all when I found the letter, not trying to excuse her own actions."

Penelope gets an idea.

"Then why don't you go and tell her that when she comes back?"

"You trying to make me talk to her?" Alex raises an eyebrow questionably.

"I do," Penelope says flat out. "Is it something wrong with that? Alex, she's your mother! You can't stay mad with her forever."

He just grumbles an answer.

"Come on. After I'm done here, I'll get you ice cream and s'mores.

"As I said: I'm not six anymore." But he can't hide the growing smile.

"Oh, to me you'll always be that cute little boy that got lost into my office on your first day JJ brought you along. So cute! But okay, I'll teach you how to trace internet activity."

* * *

The next chapter will be uploaded son, and it will be told from JJ's POV and Alex's POV, spanding over some time with quick "canon" shots.


	29. Chapter 29

Hey everyone! 

Now, I know I haven't been uploading anything here, and that is only because I've been extremely busy with school, preprpring for mock-exams, final exams, also I'm in the Committee responsible for celebration or organizing our National Day (cooperation with the school).

However, I have been writing a little bit, and I hope, when all the exams are done, that I can finish at least one chapter and upload it. 

_Thank you all Warriors!_


	30. Chapter 30

"Agent Jennifer Jareau speaking."

"Good afternoon, agent. I'm calling from Texas county jail. We have some bad news for you."

"Speak."

"The storm that hit southern Texas this night… Well, it ended up with a mass chaos and now our neighbour states are getting the same storm, they'll lose some of their power too, which happened here. Fourteen inmates from a prison managed to escape. One  
of them is William LaMontagne. And he left a note. For you. It says…" The voice sighs. "It says: 'Look out, Jenny girl, you can't hold him away for ever. See you in a few'."

/

"Alex, where are you right now? Don't go home, but go Garcia's place or the BAU building. Listen, I you need to answer me. There's something important I have to tell you about now, it's real urgent! Call me back!"

"Alexander Jareau, pick up the phone! It's important!"

"Honey, please, _please_ call me back! Or text me, or just…send me a Snap! I need to know if you're okay."

Alex listens in to all of the voice messages, feeling a rising turmoil in his stomach. So his mom knows it, but she doesn't know where he is, what's happened. She assumes he's fine, but for each voice message, her voice gets higher, more desperate. The  
many text messages she's written him show signs of her desperate pleading. Now she's thinking the unthinkable.

That he is dead.

 _Well, to be fair… If my mom ever sees me again it might be in a body bag._

/

"Jennifer! Is Alex safe? Has he answered yet?"

"No."

The short answer is like a kick in the nuts for Derek as he groans.

"Look, we have to tap his phone and get back to Virginia ASAP," he says. "Where are the damn pilots?"

"They're saying we can't take off before the storm's over. We…have to wait. Only wait and see. Fuck, I can't just sit here! I know William has my son! Alex never stops answering after so many texts and calls! And he hasn't even called Mabel back!" she  
screams, looking hysterical.

"Okay, okay." Derek tries to calm his friend down, treating her like another worried mom who's lost her child. "JJ, come here, we don't know nothing for sure. Garcia's on the case too, and she's in Virgina. She saw him…"

"That was _two_ days ago," JJ bites him off.

"I know, but listen to me, we have to think out a way to get to Virginia if the weather don't calms down soon. We can take a SUV and head out, but we also have to make a case. We have to profile William so we can find Alex. You with me?"

JJ nods.

"Yeah, I'm with you. Let's go."

She stands abruptly up and runs to the office where the other members of her team are. They all look up and send her sympathetically.

"Have we got any new leads?" she asks, ignoring the looks.

"No," Hotch admits, "and Garcia got nothing from neither Alex's or LaMontagne's phone. We have to assume they're together now, and that Alex's alive. LaMontagne wants something from you, JJ, and he has Alex in order to make a deal, to have something valuable  
to exchange with. If he calls, you know what to do."

They all know what JJ has to do. She has to alert Garcia and make her trace the call and keep William on the line long enough for Garcia to do her magic. And she has to put on speaker phone too, so the others can hear what's been said. And she has to  
remain calm.

"I know… What do we know so far?"

"The storm took out the power in the south of six states, fourteen inmates fled the prison and took off, one of them being William LaMontagne," Prentiss rants off, as she's memorised it all, "and we know that he stole a helicopter and got to Virginia.  
The wreckage was found yesterday. Apparently there were two more inmates that went along with LaMontagne."

"Garcia's been trying to trace them, she's tapping their phones and tries to tap those who might help them to stay hidden. She's also trying to find something on the cameras. The latest activity that will appear on her screen will come directly to us."  
Hotch closes in on JJ. "JJ, if you need anything, please, let me know. We will have the jet ready as soon as we get clearance from the pilots. For now, we can't fly. Taking a car will probably take longer time and you'd be out of reach, making it  
all difficult. Besides, we need you here with us."

"We have to make up a profile, now," Rossi insists, "let's go to work, people!"


	31. Chapter 31

"Get up!"

Alex scrambles on to his feet. He shakes, he's tired and hungry, he's dehydrated, and he's confused and angry. For the last hours, he can't tell exactly how many, he's been in a wet basement with no windows and only a nightstand lamp as a source of light.  
He is wet, cold, hungry, thirsty, angry, confused and also scared. He's scared of the man who claims to be his father. The man who has beaten him and let two others beat him. The man who's threatened his mom and the others on the BAU team, also Mabel  
and her family.

That man was also the one who kidnapped him, forced him to be quiet, if not, he'd kill Mabel too. She's in here somewhere. Alex knows it's up to him: if he doesn't cooperate, his dad will hurt Mabel too, and he won't allow it. He'll do anything to protect  
Mabel.

"Where's Mabel?" he demands to know.

"She's okay," his dad says, "now, move! Brad, Liam, get in here now. We're going to find out how much your dear parents and BAU think you're worth. Luckily, we got our old auction pro with us today; Brad. He's been in this business for years and he knows  
how to persuade his buyers. Liam, fire up the screen here, you idiot. And get me the phone."

William, Brad and Liam have taken Alex into a small room with a door and a sealed off window. The only lights come from a broken lightbulb hanging from a thin chord and a screen that lights up.

 _Mabel!_

The camera zooms in on her lifeless body. Alex squints his eyes, he's trying to see if she's breathing. She is!

 _Oh, thank you Lord!_

"What have you done with her?" he yells out, standing up. "You told me you wouldn't hurt her as long as I did what you said! She's fucking bleeding!"

"Sit down!" William thunders, pushing Alex back in the old armchair. "We didn't touch her until she started fighting back! Almost managed to cut off Liam's nuts!"

"Does she knows I'm here?"

"Of course," Liam cackles. "If not, she'd flee. Keeping you both here makes this so much easier trip. Now, stay quiet or you'll see Brad having some fun with your girlfriend. And, just to mention it, you knew that Brad's convicted for serial rapes and  
torturing? Just a little thing to remember, little boy," he spits out.

Gritting his teeth, Alex helpless watch as the third guy, Brad, drags a screaming and fighting Mabel up, pulls her towards the camera.

 _She's not crying,_ Alex notices, feeling suddenly proud.

"Let her go!" he roars, "let her go. I promise, I won't leave or disobey you. I'll stay and I'll behave, but please, let Mabel go. She doesn't know anything, she won't understand. This isn't her fault, just let her go!"

A hand squeezes Alex's left shoulder.

"I don't think so," William breathes in Alex's ear, "I think that this process will go a whole lot easier for all of us if we have you both. Each of you can be silenced if we as much as mention Brad coming into one of your rooms. Now, you don't want to  
make her suffer more, will you?"

"You fucking bastard!" Alex screams and with a sudden move, his left shoulder collides hard with William's mouth.

William swears and Liam hurries closer, hitting Alex with his hand in his stomach. Alex groans in pain and creeps together, holding on his stomach. William spits out some blood and gets up on his feet. Alex can see blood streaming from his mouth and lip.  
It's a satisfying look.

"You little…!"

Alex feels a sharp pain in his left temple and he black out.

/

"JJ, it'll be okay. We're almost there," Derek assures his blonde friend. She's been tapping her foot the whole way to the airport, not saying a word and only looking straight forward, squeezing her Glock.

"Don't dare tell me it'll all be okay, Morgan," JJ says through clenched teeth, "not until I get to hug my boy. We don't know anything for sure. I don't want to get my hopes up."

 _Fair enough. I bet I would've felt the same way,_ Derek thinks as he just nods to JJ. Emily and Reid are in the backseat. David and Aaaron are already at the airport, waiting for them all alongside with the pilot. The jet's ready and they board  
it and are cleared for take-off within ten minutes. While the rest of the team are discussing this new case, JJ is banned from the brainstorming as she's too involved and also not ready to do anything for the moment, being very emotional. She sits  
alone in the back of the jet, holding a cup of coffee. She can't manage to focus enough so she can listen to her team talking about the father of her son and his chance of survival. The barely know where Alex might be. Now they know Mabel's captured  
too and JJ has to tell her parents about the case and why their daughter has been dragged into this situation. Though she doesn't act as the BAU's official liaison, she still automatically takes the assignment on her shoulders.

"JJ?"

JJ blinks her eyes. Emily is standing in of her, leaning an arm at one of the plane seats.

"You feeling okay?"

She opens her mouth to answer, but not a sound comes out. Finally she shuts her mouth and Emily sits down, facing her. She too looks concerned.

"We'll find them," she promises JJ. "You know we'll do."

"I just don't know if they'll be alive or not when we do," JJ says, admitting her worst fear. "What if they're dead and we're too late? I can't… I will never get over that."

Looking away, out of the window, to hide the tears that are coming, JJ clenches her jaw and tries to breathe slowly. She feels Emily's hands around her own. They're soothingly warm, just as the coffee cup in her hands.

"Don't think like that," Emily says, "it won't help anyone thinking they're dead. We don't know that and I honestly don't think _he_ will do it. He doesn't want Alex or Mabel, he wants you and that's what keeping them alive. We have to focus on that,  
JJ. I know you're scared. I would be too, and I'm worried of course, but right now, Alex and Mabel need us."

JJ nods several times, swallowing her snarky answers she was about to say when the logic of Emily's statement went through. It all made sense of course. She has had her time to be upset and worry, but Emily's right: Alex and Mabel need her. They need  
the whole team. If something does happen with Alex or Mabel. If one of them dies… She'll have time to grieve and worry afterwards.

"Thank you, Emily," she says sincerely, looking at her best friend. "I know I did react very…strong. I'm sorry if I lashed out my anger and worry on you."

"It's okay. Don't think about it."

She gives JJ a tight hug before realising and smiling assumingly. "I didn't get offended. I know if the roles were reversed, I'd be twice as snappy."

The two women go back to the team. Hotch sends JJ a thorough look and she doesn't miss it.

"I'm not going to have a breakdown," she states firmly, "I'll do that later if I have to. Right now, I will focus on the hope that my son and his girlfriend are alive. Where are we on the profiling? Do we know about his accomplices?"

"We have it all here," Morgan says wary, handing JJ two files. Hotch and Rossi have a low conversation whereof Rossi shakes his head and gives a pointing look at Emily. Apparently, Hotch asked if Rossi thinks JJ's ready for this assignment and Rossi says  
no, but that she'll pull through, especially with the help from Emily.

"You know Strauss will have our asses when she finds out about all this," Morgan comments, giving Hotch and Rossi a look.

"I'm not worried about that," Rossi says, furrowing his forehead.

"Strauss is in no position to tell us to back out of a case if she doesn't have any proofs that says we're not obliged to work on a case. In this situation, we're the only ones that can do something. Let me handle Strauss if that becomes necessary." Hotch  
looks at JJ, and adds to Reid: "What can we expect from JJ if something does happen to Alex?"

"Possibilities of PTSD and survivor's guilt are large," Reid answers immediately, matching Hotch's low voice. "She'll blame herself defiantly, no matter what happens next. Chances are that if Alex d-dies…" Reid has to take a breath before continuing.  
He can't imagine if Alex, his friend, dies. "If it happens, she'll sink into depression, no matter what we do. JJ knows what can happen, she is aware of every outcome. She also knows there are families struggling with the same conception as she does,  
but that doesn't make it easier for her. Any psychologist can become depressed."

Hotch sighs. Though he knows most of this – he sees it daily in his job and it's just natural for people to react when something traumatizing happens to them – he can't seem to accept the fact that JJ's family can be their next UNSUB's victim.

"I think I know where Alex and Mabel might be."

Everyone becomes quiet. They look quizzical at JJ. She takes the map from Reid.

"I met William first time when I was in college. The first party I went to was where I met him, and we went to this old car factory building from the 60's. I think it's still closed down and the whole area is a ghetto. No one would ever care to drive  
four miles to the factory."

"We need something more than that to send people over," Rossi says. "He might have taken to other places. The factory can be bait. He knows you know about that place. Would he be that careless?"

"Yes!" JJ almost shouts. "We're just gambling with my son's life! The factory is the only place I know of that he also knows exist. And it's a good place for hiding while operation out a plan while keeping people locked up."

"JJ, I understand you're upset. But you're blinded with too many emotions to see this from a profiler's perspective," Rossi protests.

"It's my son we're talking about!" JJ yells, spinning around to nail Rossi with her eyes. They're hard, stone cold. "I need to be emotional to understand where William might've taken Alex and Mabel! Sometimes you can't cut off your feelings and think  
you'll find the bad guy. You have to think and _feel_ like they do."

The whole jet is quiet. Rossi looks defeated down.

"I think JJ's right," Hotch speaks up. "This is worth a shot."

"Agreed," Reid adds. He studies the map. "Geographically, the area is isolated. If it is as JJ says: a ghetto, then people will avoid these areas and they don't bother to call if they see a suspicious car in fear of their own lives."

"Garcia, can you give us an address? And call the Bureau to have cars ready for us at the airport," Morgan asks.

"Will do," Penelope says. She doesn't even add one of her familiar, witty phrases like 'Garcia's out'.

* * *

This is the last chapter for this part


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